UMASS/AMHERST  # 


31EDbbD117t.37H5 

LIBRARY 

OF  THE 


MASSACHUSETTS 

AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 


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This  book  may  be  kept  out 

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only,  and  is  subject  to  a  fine 
of  TWO  CENTS  a  day  thereafter. 
It  will  be  due  on  the  day  in- 
dicated below. 


WAR  5  lao^ 


2 


CELEBRATION 


INHABITANTS  OF  WORCESTER,  MASS., 


OF     THE 


CENTENNIAL   ANNIVERSAEY 


OF     TH 


DECLAEATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 


JULY  4,  1876 


TO     WHICH     ARE     ADDED 


HISTORICAL  AND  CHRONOLOGICAL  NOTES. 


PRINTED    BY   ORDER   OF   THE    CITY    COUNCIL, 
MDCCCLXXVI. 


WOEOESTEE: 

PRESS  OF  CHAS.  HAMILTON. 
1876. 


The  following  resolve    and  order   were   adopted   by   the  City 
Council  at  their  first  meeting  after  the  Celebration  : — 


CITY   OF   WORCESTER, 


In  City  Council,  July  10th,  1876. 

Resolved  : — That  the  City  Council  hereby  tenders  its  thanks  to  the  Hon. 
Benj.  F.  Thomas,  for  his  eloquent  and  able  Oration,  delivered  on  the  Centen- 
nial Anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  of  the  United  States, 
July  4th,  1876 ;  and  that  he  be  requested  to  furnish  a  copy  thereof  for 
publication. 

Ordered  :— That  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  for  Celebrating  the  Cen- 
tennial Fourth  of  July,  appointed  February  14th,  a.  d.  1876,  be,  and  they  are 
hereby,  authorized  to  have  printed  fifteen  hundred  copies  of  the  oration 
delivered  by  Judge  Thomas,  July  4th,  a.  d.  1876,  together  with  a  complete 
and  concise  history  of  the  celebration,  for  the  use  of  the  City  Council ;  the 
expense  thereof  to  be  charged  to  appropriation  for  incidentals. 

Approved  July  11th,  1876. 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Mayor. 

(A  copy.)     Attest, 

Samuel  Smith,  City  Clerk, 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Pages. 
10-20 


21-25 
29-81 


I.  The  Preparations, 

II.  Exercises  of  the  Day, 

III.  The  Oration, 

IV.  Processions,  Decorations,  and  Illuminations, 85-105 

....    109-122 

V.  Historical  Notes, 

VI.  Ancient  Buildings  and  Historical  Localities, 123-146 


Tlie  Committee    on   Printing,   for  the  Celebration   by  the   City  of 

Worcester,  of  the  Fourth  of  July,  1876,  herewith  submit  tlie  result  of 

their  labors.      The  limits  of  the  volume  have  compelled  them,  with 

regret,  to  omit  many  details  of  the  private  displays  and  decorations  of 

the  day,  and  to  refer  chiefly  to  such  alone  as  were  of  a  public  nature. 

The  President  of  the  United  States,  in  his  proclamation,  last  Spring, 

expressed  the  hope  that  Cities  and  Towns  would  publish  an  account  of 

their  July  celebrations  this  year ;  and  it  therefore  seemed  proper  to  this 

Committee  to  add  to  the  account  of  the  exercises  here,  some  historical 

notes  and  memoranda,  compiled  by  one  of  their  number,  in  regard  to 

affau-s  which  occurred  in  the  town  at  about  the  time  of  the  Declaration 

of  Independence ;  together  with  a  list  of  previous  celebrations  of  its 

anniversary. 

Clakk  Jillson,  Mayor. 
Charles  A.  Chase. 
Nathaniel  Paine. 
Richard  O'Flynn. 
J.  EvARTS  Greene. 


CENTENNIAL    CELEBRATION. 


PREPARATIONS 


ACTION  OF  THE  CITY  COUNCIL. 


Early  in  the  jear,  the  question  of  having  a  suita])le  com- 
memoration of  the  One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  American 
Independence  was  agitated  in  the  City  Council,  and  the  following 
order  was  adopted  : — 

CITY    OF   WORCESTER. 


In  City  CouNcrL,  January  31st,  1876. 

Ordered  :— That  Aldermen  Pratt  and  Lapham,  with  Councilmen  Gaskill, 
Crane  and  Kickhara  be  a  Joint  Special  Committee,  to  consider  and  report 
upon  the  expediency  of  celebrating  the  Centennial  Fourth  of  July  in  an 
appropriate  manner. 

Approved  February  1st,  1876. 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Ilmjor. 

(A  copy.)  Attest, 

Samuel  Sivhth,  City  Clerk. 

This  Committee  presented  the  follow^ing  Report,  which  was 
accepted,  and  its  recommendations  adopted  by  the  City 
Council : — 

CITY    OF   WORCESTER. 


In  City  Council,  February  14th,  1876. 

The  Joint  Special  Committee  appointed  to   consider  and   report  upon  the 
expediency  of  Celebrating  the  Centennial  Fourth  of  July  in  an  appropriate 


12  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

manner,  have  attencled  to  the  business  committed  to  them,  and  report  that 
the  Committee  are  unanimous  in  the  qpiuion  that  the  Centennial  Anniversary 
of  our  National  Independence  should  be  observed  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the 
occasion. 

The  Committee  recommend  the  appointment  of  a  Joint  Special  Committee 
of  the  City  Council,  to  consist  of  the  Mayor,  two  Aldermen,  the  President  of 
the  Common  Council  and  three  Councilmen,  with  power  to  make  all  necessary 
arrangements  therefor.  They  also  recommend  that  the  Hon.  George  Bancroft 
be  invited  to  deliver  the  oration;  also,  that  an  appropriation  of  $3,000  be 
made  by  the  City  Council,  to  defray  the  expense  that  may  be  incurred. 

The  Committee  recommend  that  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  be  held  at  an 
early  day  to  choose  a  Committee  to  act  in  concert  with  the  Committee  of  the 
City  Council,  and  the  adoption  of  the  accompanying  order. 

Sumner  Pratt, 
M.  A.  Lapham, 

E.  B.  Crane, 

F.  A.  Gaskill,  , 

W.    KiCKHAM, 

Committee. 


CITY    OF   WORCESTER, 


In  City  Council. 

Ordered  :— That  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  Jourdan  and  Williams,  the 
President  of  the  Council,  and  Councilmen  Lovell,  O'Sullivan  and  Rawson,  be 
a  Joint  Special  Committee,  with  power  to  make  all  necessary  arrangements 
for  celebrating  the  Centennial  Anniversary  on  the  Fourth  day  of  July  next. 

Ordered  : — That  the  sum  of  Five  Thousand  Dollars  be,  and  the  same  is 
hereby,  appropriated  to  defray  the  expense  which  shall  be  incurred  by  the 
Joint  Special  Committee  of  the  City  Council  in  Celebrating  the  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  our  National  Independence ;  and  the  Mayor  is  hereby  author- 
ized to  draw  his  orders  on  the  City  Treasurer  for  the  payment  of  all  such 
bills  of  expenditure  as  shall  be  authorized  and  approved  by  said  Committee 
for  said  purpose  to  the  amount  of  said  sum,  and  that  the  same  be  charged  to 
the  account  for  incidental  expenses. 

Approved  February  29,  1876. 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Mayor. 

(A  copy.)  Attest, 

Samuel  Smith,  City  Clerk. 


ACTION  OF  THE  CITY  COUNCIL.  13 

In  accordance  with  tlie  recommendation  of  tliQ  City  Council, 
tlie  Mayor  extended  the  following  invitation  to  the  Hon.  George 
Bancroft : — 

CITY    OF   WORCESTER. 

EXECUTIVE   DEPARTMENT. 


Mayor's  Office,  February  Uth,  1876. 
Dear  Sir: 

Being  duly  authorized  bj^  the  City  Council  of  the  City  of  Worcester. 
I  hereby  extend  to  you  a  cordial  invitation  to  deliver  an  Address  to  the  City 
Government  and  People  of  said  City,  on  the  Fourth  day  of  Jnly  next. 

The  citizens  of  Worcester  will  gladly  welcome  you  to  the  home  of  your 
childhood. 

Truly  yours, 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Mayor. 
Hon.  George  Bancroft, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Mr.  Bancroft  declined  the  invitation  of  the  City  Council  in  the 
following  letter  : — 

No.  1623  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  March  Uh,  1876. 

My  Dear  Sir: 

The  affection  I  bear  to  the  City  of  Worcester  makes  it  difficult 
for  me  to  decline  your  invitation  to  return  to  the  place  of  my  nativity  and 
the  home  of  my  childhood,  and  address  its  government  and  people  on  the 
Fourth  day  of  July  next. 

This  conflict  between  my  most  cherish'ed  local  attachment  and  my  sense  of 
what  it  is  prudent  for  me  to  undertake,  have  kept  my  mind  long  in  suspense, 
and  must  plead  with  you  as  my  excuse  for  the  delay  in  replying  to  your 
note. 

Yet  I  have  deemed  it  on  every  other  occasion  discreet  and  necessary  to 
decline  any  invitation  to  speak  to  a  large  assembly ;  and  it  is  with  the  utmost 
regret  that  I  find  myself,  on  the  present  occasion,  obliged  to  forego  the  honor 
and  delight  of  meeting  and  addressing  you  on  our  approaching  Centenary 
Anniversary. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Geo.  Bancroft. 
The  Honorable  Clark  Jillson, 

Mayor  of  the  City  of  Worcester,  Mass. 


14  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

After  receiving  the  letter  of  Mr.  Bancroft  deeliniiip:  tlie  invita- 
tion to  deliver  the  oration,  tlie  Committee  having  the  matter  in 
charge  voted  to  invite  the  Hon.  B.  F.  Thomas,  of  Boston,  to  per- 
form that  service. 

Judge  Thomas  accepted  the  invitation  in  the  following 
letter : — 

Boston,  March  2dtJu  1876. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

I  have  received  your  kind  invitation  on  behalf  of  the  City  Council 
to  deliver  an  address  to  the  City  Government  and  People  of  Worcester  on 
the  Fourth  of  July  next. 

I  find  it  not  easy  to  decline  any  service  the  City  of  Worcester  asks  at  my 
hands,  and  will  try  to  discharge  the  duty  assigned  to  me. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Benj.  F.  Thomas. 

Hon.  Clark  Jillson,  and 
Thomas  J.  Hastings,  Esq., 

Committee. 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  Committee  of 
the  City  Council,  it  was  decided  to  invite  several  citizens  known 
to  be  interested  in  a  proper  observance  of  the  day,  to  unite  with 
them  in  making  the  necessary  arrangements.  The  members  of 
the  Citizens' Exchange  having  expressed  their  interest  in  the  Cele- 
bration by  the  appointment  of  a  Special  Committee  to  aid  in 
making  it  a  success,  the  Committee  of  the  City  Council  invited 
the  gentlemen  so  designated  to  act  upon  the  General  Committee. 

The  General  Committee,  as  finally  constituted,  was  as 
follows : — 

City  Government : 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Mayor; 

WM.  H.  JOURDAN,  Aldekman;     JOHN  M.  WILLIAMS,  Alderman; 

THOMAS  J.  HASTINGS,  President  Common  Council; 

ALBERT    A.    LOVELL,      CORNELIUS    O'SULLIVAN,      O.  F.  RAWSON, 

Common  Councilmen. 


PREPARATIONS.  15 

Citizens  at  Large : 

C.  B.  WHITING,       W.  A.  DENHOLM,       SAMUEL  D.  NYE, 

STEPHEN  SALISBURY,  Jr.,  RICHARD  O'FLYNN, 

E.  B.   STODDARD. 

Citizens'  Exchange : 

GEORGE  F.  VERRY,       HENRY  H.  CHAMBERLIN,      E.  H.  KNOWLTON, 

CHAS.  B.  PRATT,     A.  D.  WARREN, 

A.  M.  PARKER. 

The  Committee  voted  that  there  should  be  two  Processions  ; 
the  first  consisting  of  Military  and  Civic  Organizations,  to  take 
place  in  the  forenoon  ;  and  the  other,  in  the  afternoon,  to  be  a 
Trades'  Procession,  representing  the  various  business  interests  of 
the  Citv  of  Worcester.  It  was  also  decided  that  tlie  public 
buildings  be  decorated  on  the  day  of  the  celebration  and  illumi- 
nated in  the  evening,  and  that  the  public  generally  be  earnestly 
invited  to  take  part  in  this  demonstration. 

Besides  the  formal  exercises  of  the  day  at  Mechanics  Hall,  it 
was  voted,  that  there  should  be  a  Concert  by  the  Children  of 
the  Public  Schools  at  an  early  hour  in  the  day,  to  be  given  in  a 
tent  to  be  erected  on  the  Common. 

On  Monday  the  3d  of  July,  the  project  of  having  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  read  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  did  not 
attend  the  exercises  in  Mechanics  Hall,  was  started,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  to  that  effect.  Colonel  J.  A.  Titus  was  selected 
as  the  reader,  and  the  spot  where  the  Old  South  Church  porch 
stood  when  the  Declaration  was  first  read  in  the  State  was  select- 
ed as  the  place  for  the  reading.  Col.  Titus  accordingly  read  the 
Declaration  from  this  historic  spot,  while  the  exercises  in  the  hall 
were  in  progress. 

The  General  Committee  appointed  the  following  Sub-Com- 
mittees, to  take  charge  of  the  various  details  of  the  Celebration : — 

,  On  Firing  Salutes,  Ifusic,  etc. 
O.  F.  RAWSON,  Chairman;    R.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN,    E.  T.  RAYMOND, 
J.  M.  DRENNAN,     ARTHUR  A.  GOODELL, 
G.  EDWARD  SMITH. 


16  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

On  Emblems. 

ALBERT    A.    LOVELL,    Chairman;       CHARLES    B.    WHITING, 

EDWARD    W.    LINCOLN,       JOHN    G.    HEYWOOD, 

STEPHEN    SALISBURY,  Jr.,    S.    J.  WILCOX, 

GEO.  E.  FRANCIS,"  J.  STEWART  BROWN, 

WM.  S.  BARTON,     H.  WOODWARD, 

BENJ.  ZAEDER. 

Trades'  Procession. 

WM.  H.  JOURDAN,  Chairman;    SAMUEL  D.  NYE,    JAMES  H.  MELLEN, 

ANDREW  ATHY,     D.  F.  PARKER,     CHARLES  BELCHER, 

C.  W.  GILBERT,     H.  M.  WITTER. 

Civic  Organizations  and  Bodies. 

J.  A.  TITUS,  Chairman;     A.  D.  WARREN,     GEORGE  SUMNER, 

JOHN  S.  BALDWIN,     CORNELIUS  O'SULLIVAN. 

Citizens'  Teams  and  Banners. 

CHARLES  B.  PRATT,  Chairman;     HENRY  H.  CHAMBERLIN, 

GEORGE    S.,  BARTON,       GEORGE    P.    KENDRICK, 

CHAS.  A.  WILLIAMS,     HARLAN  FAIRBANKS. 

Decoration  and  Illumiiiation  of  Common. 
J.  M.  WILLIAMS,  Chairman;     E.  B.  STODDARD,  H.  A.  MARSH, 
LEWIS  W.  HAMMOND,     J.  K.  CHURCHILL. 

Citizens'  Out-door  Decoration,  etc. 

W.  A.  DENHOLM,  Chahiman;     WM.  H.  BLISS,     A.  M.  PARKER, 

E.  H.  KNOWLTON,     J.  J.  RUSS. 

Tent  and  Fixtures. 

CHAS.  H.  PECK,  Chairman;     DAVID  BOYDEN,     C.  H.  M.  BLAKE, 

P.  F.  MURRAY,     WM.  O'CONNELL. 

Exercises  in  the  Tent. 

THOMAS  J.  HASTINGS,  Chairman;     A.  P.  MARBLE,     JAMES  GREEN, 

WM.  B.  HARDING,     WM.  T.  HARLOW,     F.  A.  GASKILL, 

JAMES  DRAPER. 

Procession,  Boute,  etc. 

JOSIAH  PICKETT,  Chairman;     SIMON  E.  COMBS, 

JAIRUS  B.  LAMB,     W.  S.  B.  HOPKINS, 

JAMES  T.  BRYANT. 


PREPARATIONS.  17 

Printing. 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Chairman;    CHARLES  A.  CHASE,  NATHANIEL  PAINE, 
RICHARD  O'FLYNN,     J.  EVARTS  GREENE. 


Invitations  and  Receptions. 

CLARK  JILLSON,  Chairman;    C.  DEYENS,  Jr.,    STEPHEN  SALISBURY, 

GEORGE  W.  RICHARDSON,        D.  WALDO  LINCOLN, 

WM.    H.    JOURDAN,       HENRY    CHAPIN, 

ISAAC  DAVIS,     GEO.  E.  VERRY. 


At  an  early  day,  Gen.  Josiah  Pickett  was  appointed  Cliief 
Marshal,  to  have  in  charge  the  processions  on  the  day  of  the 
celebration,  and,  having  accepted  the  invitation,  he  appointed  the 
following  aides : — 


Chief  of  Staff: 
Major  E.  T.  RAYMOND. 


Aides  : 

Gen.  a.  B.  R.  SPRAGUE,     Gen.  W.  S.  LINCOLN,    Gen.  A.  A.  GOODELL, 

Gen.  D.  D.  WILEY,     Surgeon  J.  M.  RICE,    Maj.  L.  G.  WHITE, 

Capt.    T.    S.    JOHNSON,       Capt.    C.    S.    CHAPIN, 

Capt.  D.  M.  EARLE,   Lieut.  W.  B.  HARDING, 

Serg't  HARLAN  FAIRBANKS, 

H.  M.  WITTER,     HENRY  A.  MARSH,      Dr.  NAPOLEON  JACQUES, 

Dr.  F.  J.  McNULTY,     STEPHEN  SALISBURY,  Jr., 

R.  M.  GOULD,   JOHN  N.  MORSE,  Jr., 

A.  A.  LOVELL. 


18 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 


The  following  invitation  was  extended  to  his  Excellency  the 
Governor,  the  Ex-Mayors  of  the  City,  and  to  many  of  the  former 
residents  of  Worcester  : — 

ONE    HUNDREDTH    ANNIVERSARY 


1776, 


1876. 


OF 


Jlimmmn    d^ndepmdenm. 


The  Inhabitants  of  the  City  of    Worcester  cordially  invite 

you  to  be  present  on  the  Hh  clay  of  July,  1876,   and  join  with 

them  in  Celebrating  the    One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the 

Nation^ s  Independence^  in  this  City. 

Clark  Jillson, 
Charles  Devens,  Jr., 
Stephen  Salisbury, 
George  W.  Richardson, 
D.  Waldo  Lincoln, 
Wm.  H.  Jourdan, 
Henry  Ciiapin, 
Isaac  Davis, 
George  F.  Verry, 

Committee  of  Invitation  and  Eeception. 
Guests  Received  at  the  City  Hall  at  9  A.  M. 


PREPARATIONS.  19 

Governor  Kice  declined  the  invitation,  regretting  his  inability 
to  be  present. 

The  following  Ex-Mayors  were  present,  and  took  part  in  the 
festivities  : — 

Peter  C.  Bacon,  Henry  Chapin,  George  W.  Richardson,  P. 
Emory  Aldricli,  Alexander  H.  Bullock,  Phinehas  Ball,  W.  W. 
Hice,  Edward  L.  Davis,  D.  Waldo  Lincoln. 

Araong  those  present  at  the  exercises  in  the  Hall,  were  Judge 
Charles  Devens,  Jr.,  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court,  the  venera- 
ble Rev.  George  Allen,  and  Hon.  Stephen  Salisbury,  honored 
citizens  of  Worcester. 

Hon,   George    Bancroft,   formerly    a    resident   of    Worcester, 

declined    the   invitation    of    the    Committee    in    the   following 

letter  : — 

Newport,  July  Isi,  1876. 

My  Dear  Sirs  : 

Your  invitation  to  join  you  in  celebrating  the  coming  One 
Hundredtli  Anniversary  I  receive  witli  answering  gladness. 

No  place  in  the  Union  has  a  better  right  to  keep  it  than  my  native  town, 
which,  in  every  great  crisis,  has  been  true  to  the  nation.  To  the  prophetic 
wisdom  of  the  politicians  of  Worcester  John  Adams  listened  and  mused  till 
the  fire  burned  and  lived  within  him,  so  that  he  became  the  colossal  defender 
of  American  Independence.  In  the  struggle  against  slavery  as  a  Massachu- 
setts institution,  it  records  only  victories  bloodless  and  complete;  and  when, 
at  a  later  day,  the  cry  arose  that  the  Union  was  in  danger,  its  voice  was  heard 
on  all  the  hill-sides,  and  its  sons  were  arrayed  in  countless  battle-fields. 

I  shall  be  present  on  the  4th  with  you  in  spirit,  and  am,  and  shall  ever  be, 
with  affection  and  fidelity  for  the  place  of  my  birth, 


Most  truly  yours, 

Geo.  Bancroft. 


To  Messrs.  Clark  Jn>LSON, 

Charles  Devfxs,  Jr., 
Stephen  Salisbury, 
Geo.  W.  Richardson, 
D.  Waldo  Lincoln, 
William  H.  Jourdan, 
Henry  Chapin, 
Isaac  Davis, 
Geo.  F.  Verry, 


Committee  of  Invitation  and  Beception. 


20  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

The  Hon.  Emory  Washburn,  of  Cambridge,  for  many  years  a 
prominent  and  honored  citizen  of  Worcester,  was  also  obliged  to 
decline  the  invitation  of  the  Committee  : — 

Cambridge,  June  2S,th,  1876. 

Gentlemen  : 

I  thank  you  cordially  for  the  honor  of  an  invitation  to  be  present 
on  the  coming  4th  July  at  the  Celebration  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  City  of 
Worcester.  It  would  have  given  me  great  pleasure  to  accept  it  if  a  previous 
engagement  upon  the  same  day  did  not  compel  me  to  decline  it. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Emory  Washburn. 

Hon.  Clark  Jillson  and  others, 

Committee. 


EXERCISES   OF  THE    DAY. 


The  Exercises  at  Mechanics  Hall  were  carried  out  in  accord- 
ance with  the  following 

PROGRAMME. 


Chorus.— Hail  Columbia  I 

PRAYER. 

Rev.  Charles  M.  Lamson. 

Our  God  and  Father !  On  this  day  of  celebration  we  confess  Thee,  Thy 
wisdom,  love,  and  the  glory  of  Thy  name.  Thou  hast  established  our 
country,  and  to  Thee  we  give  honor  and  gratitude. 

We  thank  Thee  for  the  liberty  that  has  been  achieved.  May  it  be  main- 
tained and  preserved.  May  we  live  again  the  virtues  of  our  fathers,  and  give 
to  our  children  what  we  have  as  a  legacy  from  them.  May  we  study  their 
spirit,  and  remember  their  vTlsdom  and  devotion. 

God  bless  our  Union  of  States.  In  unity  may  they  preserve  peace  and 
honor.     May  they  grow  strong  and  great  and  pure. 

God  bless  the  day  and  all  who  celebrate  its  return.  God  bless  us,  and 
make  us  better  able  to  do  our  work,  to  live  more  wisely,  and  be  fitted  by  the 
faithful  performance  of  present  duty  for  future  responsibility.  In  the  name 
of  Christ,  Amen. 

Chorus. — Hail  Columbia. 

beading  of  the  declaration  of  lkdependence, 
By  Herbert  B.   Howard, 

Junior  Class  of  the  High  School. 


22  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

ODE. 
Written  by  Hoit.  Clark  Jillson. 

One  hundred  years  ago  to-day, 
A  few  brave  souls  prepared  the  way 
To  found  an  empire,  strong  and  free, 
Defying  legions  o'er  the  sea. 

They  set  their  banner  on  the  hills, 
.  New-born  and  fresh  as  mountain  rills. 
That  all  the  world  might  see  its  stars, 
And  count  its  thirteen  flaming  bars. 

The  bells  proclaimed  a  nation's  birth, 
And  spread  the  tidings  o'er  the  earth ; 
The  state  rejoiced— united,  free, 
Their  watchword  "Death  or  Liberty." 

The  struggle  came ;  and  face  to  face, 
With  polished  steel  or  gleaming  mace, 
Two^nuies  stood  as  firm  as  rock. 
To  give  and  take  the  battle  shock. 

The  youthful  empire  won  the  field. 
And  England's  pride  was  doomed  to  yield ; 
Oppression  was  compelled  to  cease. 
Beneath  the  arching  bow  of  Peace. 

The  nations  wondered  when  they  saw 
Triumphant  Liberty  and  Law; 
And  we  recount  their  pledges  o'er, 
Proclaiming  peace  forevermore. 

His  Honor,  Mayor  Jillson,  then  introduced  tlie  Orator  of  tlie 
Day,  in  the  following  words  : — 

Fellow-Citizens  : 

Our  nation  rejoices  to-day.  The  States  affirm  their  fidelity  to 
each  other  as  they  stand  side  by  side  upon  the  verge  of  a  new  century.  The 
City  of  Worcester,  proud  of  its  history  in  the  olden  time,  adds  a  willing 
voice  to  the  grand  chorus  of  loyal  municipalities,  and  gratefully  renews  a 
faithful  devotion  to  the  true  spirit  of  American  liberty.  Those  unconquerable 
patriots,  who  met  in  secret  conclave  and  open  town  meeting,  in  public  assem- 
blies and  in  the  Continental  Congress,  uttering  defiance  to  the  most  powerful 
nation  on  the  earth,  have  passed  ^way;  but  their  words,  culminating  so 
grandly  in  the  clear,  bold  autograph  of  John  Hancock,  appended  to  that 


EXERCISES  OF  THE  DAY.  23 

immortal  pioneer  of  liberty,  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  gave  life  and 
vitality  to  a  great  Republic,  the  future  of  which  is  as  full  of  hope  as  its  past 
is  of  glory.  The  history  of  these  men  speaks  to  us  from  the  sacred  shrine  of 
yonder  consecrated  temple,*  where,  amid  glittering  bayonets,  they  knelt  in 
prayer  for  the  common  safety.  How  great  the  change  within  a  period  of  one 
hundred  years !  The  walls  of  that  ancient  edifice  were  not  decorated  with 
banners,  emblems,  or  graceful  festoons.  Children  were  not  gathered  there  as 
we  see  them  to-day  in  the  freshness  of  their  young  lives,  to  echo  through  its 
solemn  arches  the  thrilling  notes  of  victory,  or  to  soothe  the  weary  soldier 
with  anthems  of  peace. 

But  the  founders  of  the  Republic  in  time  of  peril  were  urged  on  to  duty 
by  believing  that  an  overruling  Power  had  favored  them  with  a  special 
blessing  in  placing  at  the  head  of  their  fearless  armies  such  men  as  Wash- 
ington and  Lafayette,  under  whose  guidance,  with  the  inspired  words  of 
Thomas  Jefferson  and  Patrick  Henry  upon  their  lips,  they  established  our 
independence  forever. 

To-day,  after  the  lapse  of  a  century,  we  meet  to  commemorate  the  virtues 
of  our  fathers,  and,  amid  patriotic  demonstrations,  ringing  of  bells,  the  roar 
of  cannon  and  the  glare  of  illumination,  to  impress  upon  all  American  citizens 
how  strongly  they  are  bound  to  cherish  the  memory  of  those  heroes  of  1776. 

One  hundred  years  ago,  on  the  Fourteenth  day  of  July,  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  then  on  its  way  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston,  was  intercepted 
at  Worcester,  and  read  for  the  first  time  in  Massachusetts  by  a  distinguished 
defender  of  the  American  Colonies,  Mr.  Isaiah  Thomas. 

On  this  occasion,  I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  to  you  as  the  Orator  of  the 
Day,  one  of  his  descendants,  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Thomas. 


ORATION. 

Hon.  Benja^hn  F.  Thomas,  LL.  D. 

BENEDICTION. 


The  Chorus  consisted  of  the  Pupils  of  the  High  School. 
G.  "William  Sumner,  Organist.  Edward  S.  Nason,  Conductor. 


The  Old  South  Church. 


24  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

CONCERT, 

BY    THE    PUPILS    OF    THE    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 


One  of  the  most  cbarniing  features  of  the  celebration  was  the 
Concert  by  the  Pupils  of  the  Public  Schools,  in  a  mammoth  tent 
on  tlie  Common,  at  7.45  a.  m.  There  were  about  tw^elve  hundred 
in  the  chorus,  selected  principally  from  the  Grammar  Schools  ; 
the  groups  of  happy  children,  in  charge  of  the  principal  teach- 
ers, the  girls  generally  dressed  in  white  and  the  boys  in  their 
holiday  attire,  each  carrying  a  neat  national  flag.  They  were 
arranged  on  tiers  of  seats  in  regular  elevation  from  the  con- 
ductor's stand  in  front.  On  the  right  of  the  -conductor  was  an 
organ  and  piano,  and  on  the  left  the  four  Worcester  bands  for 
accompaniments.  Mr.  C.  P.  Morrison  presided  at  the  organ,  and 
Mr.  G.  W.  Sumner  at  the  piano,  with  Mr.  E.  S.  Nason  for  con- 
ductor. The  portion  of  the  tent  not  occupied  by  the  singers  and 
bands  was  closely  packed  with  a  deeply  interested  audience,  and 
thousands  were  around  the  tent,  enjoying  as  well  as  they  could 
the  sweet  strains  of  the  young  songsters. 

The  concert  was  conducted  in  accordance  with  the  following 
programme : — 

CENTENNIAL    CONCERT, 

IN  THE  TENT  ON  THE  COMMON,  BY  THE 

SCHOLARS  OF  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS, 

July  ith,  1876,  from  7|  to  9  o'clock,  A.  J/., 

ASSISTED  BY  THE 

WORCESTER  BRASS  BAND, 

WORCESTER  NATIONAL  BAND, 

WORCESTER  FRENCH  BAND, 

WORCESTER  IRISH  BAND. 


MB.  a  P.  MOBBISON,  Organist. 

MR.  Q.   WILLIAM  SUMNEB,  Pianist. 

MB.  EDWABD  S.  NASON,  Conductor. 


EXERCISES  OF  THE  DAY.  25 

P  E  ()  G  K  A  M  M  E  . 


1.  America. 

Full  chorus  of  1200  voices,  bands,  organ  and  piano. 

2.  Our  Native  Land. 

Scholars  of  the  eighth  and  ninth  grades,  organ  and  piano. 

3.  Independence  Day. 

Song,   by  the   boys,    chorus   by  all  the  voices,  bands,  &c., 
and  tableau  with  flags. 

4.  Mount  Vernon  Bells. — To  the  Memory  of  Washington. 

Song,  by  twenty-eight  young  ladies  from  the  eighth  and  ninth 


5.  The  Red,  White  and  Blue. 

Song,  by  boys,  chorus  by  all,  with  bands,  &c. 

6.  Keller's  American  Hymn. 

Full  chorus,  bands,  organ  and  piano. 

7.  Flag  of  the  Free. 

Song,  by  boys,  with  full  chorus. 

8.  New^  Englant). 

9.  Star  Spangled  Banner. 

Full  chorus,  bands,  organ,  piano,  and  tableau  with 


ORATION 


BY 


BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN    THOMAS, 


July    4,     1876. 


ORATION 


It  was  a  quiet  summer's  morning  in  the  then  village 
of  Worcester,  loveliest  of  the  inland  villages  of  the 
"  Bay,"  indeed  of  the  ]^ew  England.  In  1776  and  for  a 
half  century  later,  the  village  consisted  chiefly  of  a 
single  broad  way,  leading  from  the  north  square  to  the 
Common  or  training-ground,  running  through  this  val- 
ley and  begirt  with  these  hills  which  nature  and  culture 
had  made  so  beautiful.  The  street  lined  on  either  side 
with  elms,  the  neat,  many  of  them  elegant,  mansions 
standing  back  from  the  road,  with  grass-plat  or  flower- 
bed in  front  and  shrubbery  at  the  sides,  and  the  general 
air  of  comfort,  refinement,  and  taste,  were  the  delight 
of  all  travellers.  The  shire  of  the  county,  the  residence 
of  its  ofl&cials,  it  was  distinguished  then  as  now  for  its 
society  of  educated  men  and  beautiful  and  accomplished 
women. 

On  the  training-ground  and  around  the  western  porch 
of  the  meeting-house  the  people  of  the  village  had  been 
suddenly  gathered ;  standing  on  the  porch  a  young  man 
of  twenty-seven  years  was  reading  to  the  intently  list- 
ening group  the  Declaration  of  Independence.     Early 


30  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRA'l  ION. 

on  Sunday  morning,  the  14th  of  July,   1776,  the  mes- 
senger  bearing   the   Declaration   to   Boston   had  been 
intercepted,  and  a  copy  obtained,  which  was  now  read 
publicly   for    the    first    time    in    Massachusetts    Bay. 
Young  as  was   the  reader,  he  had  already  a  history. 
Trained  in  what  has  so  often  proved  the  best  of  colleges, 
the  printing  office,  Isaiah  Thomas  had  established  in  his 
native  city  of  Boston,  six  years  before,  the  "  Massa- 
chusetts Spy."     For  six  years  he  had  given  his  press 
and  himself  to  the  cause   of  freedom  in  the  colonies. 
The  "  Spy  "  became  a  power  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 
The  provincial   government   hoped  to  buy  the  young 
printer  :    he  was  not  in  the  market  ;    it  tried  to  intimi- 
date him  :    he  was  without  fear;    it  tried  to   suppress 
him,  but  he  baffled  and  defeated  its  craft  and  its  power, 
gaining  new  strength  and  influence  by  every  conflict. 
Trained  by  the  severest  discipline  of  narrow  and  adverse 
fortune,  struggle  was  to  him  second  nature.     Striking 
to  the  root  of  things,  aggressive,   defiant  of  the  civil 
and  military  power  of  province,  parliament  and  crown, 
threatened  openly  with  violence   by   the   soldiers   and 
privately  with  assassination,  his  press   and  life  were  in 
such   imminent    peril   that   John    Hancock   and   other 
friends  insisted  upon  his  removal  from  Boston  to  the 
interior.     In  a  few  days  they  said  it  would  be  too  late. 
On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  April,  1775,  with  the  aid 
of  Gen.  Warren  and  Col.  Bigelow,  two  presses  and  a 
few  types  were  ferried  over  the  river  to  Charlestown 
and  put  on  their  way  to  Worcester. 

In  the  great  debate  between  prerogative  and  freedom, 


ORATION.  3 1 

his  press  had  been  among  the  first  to  rise  from  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  rights  of  the  colonists  as  EngUsh  sub- 
jects, to  the  higher  plane  of  their  rights  as  men.  The 
Declaration  he  was  reading  was  the  culmination  of  his 
faith  and  hopes. 

The  listening  village, — it  too  had  a  history,  of  ten 
years'  strife,  so  fierce  that  social  and  family  ties  were 
burned  as  flax  in  its  flame  ;  bitterer  even  than  the  con- 
flicts of  arms.  In  these,  w^rath  and  bitterness  are 
ejected  with  the  cannon  or  rifle  shot  or  thrust  of  bayo- 
net, and  humanity  resumes  its  sway  ;  but  the  wrath  that 
finds  no  outlet  but  words  is  kindled  and  fanned  by  their 
breath  to  intenser  heat.  Some  of  her  citizens  most 
eminent  for  ability,  culture  and  social  influence,  led  by 
James  Putnam,  the  learned  and  eloquent  attorney- 
general  of  the  province,  had  adhered  to  the  royal  cause, 
attesting  their  fidelity  to  their  convictions  by  sufi'ering 
reproach,  confiscation,  and  exile. 

The  sons  of  liberty  had  had  too  their  cross.  These 
matrons  and  maidens,  listening  with  moistened  eyes 
and  throbbing  breasts,  had  husband,  son  or  brother  who 
had  been  in  the  terrible  march  through  the  wilderness 
to  Canada,  and  had  fallen  by  the  bullet  from  the  ram- 
parts or  perished  in  the  snows  before  Quebec.  Their 
gallant  leader  in  debate  and  arms.  Col.  Bigelow,  village 
blacksmith,  patriot,  soldier,  statesman,  had  been  for  six 
weary  months  a  prisoner  in  its  citadel.  Fitting  it  is  that 
his  monmnent  should  stand  by  the  side  of  that  which  a 
grateful  city  has  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  later 
soldiers  who  died  to  save  what  he  toiled  and  suffered  to 


32  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

win.  Marking  the  opening  and  closing  gate-ways  of 
the  century,  they  bear  witness  to  the  same  spirit  of  self- 
sacrifice,  the  same  devotion  to  duty  and  country,  in  the 
sons  as  in  the  sires. 

Could  we  read  the  thought  of  the  most  thoughtful  of 
that  listening  group,  should  we  find  any  prophecy  of  the 
seven  years  of  war  to  uphold  the  Declaration,  and  the 
seven  years  of  confusion  and  disorder,  not  to  say 
anarchy,  before  the  blessings  of  liberty  should  be 
secured  by  stable  and  efficient  government,  and  the  new 
nation  assume  in  fact,  as  in  word,  "  its  equal  station 
among  the  powers  of  the  earth  "  ? 

RISE  a:nd  growth  of  the  republic. 

But  the  local  celebrations,  national  and  local,  have 
been  had.  The  memories  of  Lexington  and  Concord, 
of  Bunker  Hill  and  Boston,  by  eloquence  and  poetry 
have  been  given  to  the  keeping  and  trust  of  the  new 
century.  This  day  belongs  to  the  rise  and  growth  of 
the  Republic,  to  the  causes  that  made  us  "  one  people  " 
and  a  "  free  people,"  and  to  the  development  and  pro- 
gress of  the  nation  for  the  first  century  of  its  life. 
Some  contribution  to  this  history,  however  fragmentary, 
or  in  the  narrow  line  of  one's  own  study  and  thought, 
has  seemed  to  me  the  fitting  service  of  the  occasion. 

The  rise  and  groicth  of  the  Republic, — I  find  great 
significance  in  these  words.  States  grow,  they  are  not 
built  ;  they  are  the  fruit  of  time  and  nature  rather  than 
of  speculation  and  contrivance.     When  seemingly  built. 


ORATION.  33 

the  structure,  to  endure,  must  be  of  materials  which  the 
experience  and  reforms  and  amendments  of  generations 
have  fashioned  to  the  builder's  hand.  The  living  state 
grows  out  of  the  wants  and  necessities  of  a  people,  and 
is  the  embodiment  and  expression  of  its  physical,  intel- 
lectual, and  moral  life.  When  its  capacities  and  wants 
have  outgrown  existing  forms  of  government,  by 
reform,  or  oftener  by  revolution,  it  adapts  government 
to  its  new  demands  and  necessities. 

Yet,  when  we  look  back  upon  its  history  it  is  seen 
that  what  we  call  revolution  is  but  evolution, — the  slow 
jDrocession  and  lifting  up  from  a  lower  to  a  higher  type 
of  civil  polity.  The  gods  grind  slowly.  ''As  for  the 
philosophers,"  said  Lord  Bacon,  "  they  construct  imagi- 
nary laws  for  imaginary  commonwealths,  but  their  dis- 
courses are  as  the  stars,  which  give  little  light  because 
they  are  so  high." 

Free  institutions  are  of  especially  slow  growth.  We 
may  trace  the  progress  of  English  liberty  for  at  least 
six  and  a  half  centuries,  from  the  morning  twilight  of 
July  15,  1215,  when  on  the  little  island  of  the  Thames, 
between  Staines  and  Windsor,  the  sturdy  barons  wTested 
from  a  subject  king  the  great  charter  of  freedom.  From 
the  gray  of  that  morning  streamed  the  rays  which  thread- 
ing cloud,  tempest,  and  eclipse  have  belted  the  round 
earth  with  the  light  of  English  liberty.  Slow,  indeed, 
and  devious  its  progress  as  the  river  which  witnessed  its 
rising,  which  the  traveller  sees  now  with  languid  cur- 
rent, now  seemingly  at  rest,  now  with  gentlest  curve, 
now  as  if  wandering  back  to  its  fountain,  through  sweet 

5 


34  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

meadow  and  lawn,  by  battle-field  and  village  spire  and 
churchyard,  round  castle-walls,  by  college-towers  and 
palace-gardens,  beneath  the  shade  of  Westminster, 
through  the  world's  "  mighty  heart,"  moving,  ever  mov- 
ing to  the  sea. 

The  vastness  of  the  theme  appals  me.  The  brilliant 
historian  and  son  of  Worcester,  whom  you  hoped  to 
have  had  with  you  to-day,  has  given  some  five  thousand 
pages  to  the  history  of  the  Republic  to  the  close  of  the 
Revolution.  To  confine  myself  within  any  bounds,  I 
must  look  at  the  history  in  a  single  aspect,  the  legal  and 
constitutional, — dryest,  perhaps,  and  least  attractive,  but 
not,  I  think,  the  least  useful.  The  marvellous  material 
growth  and  expansion,  the  increase  in  wealth,  in  num- 
bers, in  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  living,  in  intel- 
lectual culture,  in  science,  in  art,  in  that  union  of  science 
and  art  by  which  we  have  subjected  the  laws  of  nature 
to  the  will  and  service  of  man, — have  conquered  time 
and  space,  and  brought  the  most  distant  climes  and 
peoples  into  society  and  neighborhood  ;  the  subduing 
of  the  wilderness,  the  hand-to-hand  grapple  with  the 
savage,  the  stirring  incidents  of  the  old  French  war,  of 
the  war  for  independence,  of  the  war  for  the  freedom  of 
the  seas,  of  the  war  for  national  integrity  and  life,-:— I 
must  forego  all  these. 

The  useful,  I  had  almost  said  the  only  useful  way  of 
studying  our  civil  institutions  is  the  historical.  The 
difiiculty  is  to  know  where  to  begin, — perhaps  you  will 
think,  where  to  end. 


ORATION.  35 

Rev.  Dr.  Prince,  who  would  write  the  chronology  of 
'New  England,  went  back  to  the  creation,  and  on  his 
return  voyage  landed  four  years  after  the  planting  of 
Massachusetts.  Simple  as  this  method  may  seem,  it  was 
nevertheless  true  that  all  past  history  was  a  contribution 
to  the  humble  chronicle  he  was  meaning  to  write.  The 
life  of  to-day  is  the  fruit  of  the  whole  life  of  the  past, 
and  the  seed  of  the  future.  In  the  divine  economy 
there  is  no  waste  of  light  or  of  jDOwer.  The  line  of 
progress,  though  we  may  not  always  trace  it,  is  clear  to 
Him  who  sees  the  end  fi'om  the  beginning,  and  in  whose 
logic,  slow  it  may  be  but  infallible,  effect  follows  cause, 
though  ages  may  intervene. 

Dealing  with  matters  of  history,  I  must  use  the  freedom 
of  history  ;  her  words  are  or  should  be  w^ords  of  truth 
and  soberness.  It  is  among  the  mysteries  that,  beings 
of  hope  and  aspiration,  we  find  always  the  Golden  Age 
in  the  twilight  of  the  past  instead  of  the  kindling  dawn 
of  the  future.  There  are  men  who  so  hug  the  illusion, 
old  enough  to  be  rebuked  by  Solomon,  that  "  the  former 
days  were  better  than  these,"  that  had  they  been  present 
at  creation,  instead  of  joining  with  the  stars  when  they 
sang  together,  and  the  sons  of  God  when  they  shouted 
aloud  for  joy,  they  would  have  mourned  in  solemn 
dirges  the  sad  departure  of  chaos  and  old  night. 

The  world  moves,  onward  and  upward,  in  a  spiral  line 
it  may  be,  but  the  world  moves.  A  just  sense  of  the 
wisdom  of  our  fathers,  a  grateful  sense  of  theu'  labors 
and  sacrifices,  is  healthful  for  mind  and  heart  ;  the 
belief  that  all  wisdom  and  vii'tue  died  with  them,  and 


36  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

that  we  are  degenerate  sons  of  noble  sires,  is  not  health- 
ful because  it  is  not  true. 


PLANTING   or   THE    COLOI^IES. 

To  understand  the  rise  and  growth  of  the  Republic 
we  must  go  back,  for  a  moment,  to  the  settlement  of  the 
colcnies.  ^Nothing  could  be  more  fortunate,  or,  if  we 
see  Providence  in  history  as  in  nature,  more  providen- 
tial, than  the  time  and  circumstances  of  their  planting. 
The  time  was  fortunate.  Had  they  been  planted  soon 
after  the  discovery  of  the  continent  they  might  have  had 
a  very  different  fate  and  history. 

In  the  intervening  century  came  the  Reformation, 
rousing  from  its  lethargy  the  mind  and  conscience  of 
Europe,  and  which,  however  imperfect  its  immediate 
fruits,  was  for  all  time  the  assertion  of  the  freedom  of 
the  individual  sjDirit  in  its  highest  relations,  and  as  a 
necessary  result,  however  slowly  develoi3ed,  in  its  rela- 
tions with  the  State. 

With  the  Reformation  came  the  Bible  in  the  vernacu- 
lar, the  open  Bible.  We  shall  fail  to  understand  the 
political  character  of  our  fathers  unless  we  bear  in  mind 
that  for  the  first  century  of  our  history  the  Bible  was 
to  them  not  only  the  record  of  the  divine  will  and  pur- 
poses, but  the  great  instrument  of  their  culture,  their 
political  and  civil,  their  secular  as  well  as  religious,  law 
and  guide  ;  and  we  shall  not  be  far  out  of  the  way  if 
we  discover  that  in  some  phases  of  their  life  they  found 
more  significance  and  exhibited  a  more  practical  faith  in 


ORATION.  37 

the  Old  Testament  than  m  the   'New  ;    in  Moses,  the 
prophets,  than  in  the  beatitudes  of  the  Mount. 

We  are  also  to  remember  the  wonderful  intellectual 
development  of  England,  in  all  the  spheres  of  thought, 
in  the  last  quarter  of  the  sixteenth  and  first  quarter  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  in  which  the  philosophy  of 
Bacon  was  to  the  study  of  nature  what  the  Reformation 
was  to  religion. 

It  was  fortunate,  be  it  said  with  all  respect  for  the 
Church,  Catholic  or  English,  that  the  New  England 
colonies,  whose  policy  and  thought  have  so  largely 
influenced  and  moulded  those  of  the  Republic,  were 
founded  by  the  most  protesting  of  Protestants  and  the 
most  dissenting  of  Dissenters.  Our  history  needed  this 
peculiar  element, — the  capacity  of  suftering,  the  sturdy 
self-reliance,  the  vigilant  outlook  of  pilgrim  and  Puri- 
tan, the  sterner  stufi",  the  firmer  fibre  of  which  the  men 
and  women  were  made,  who  could  leave  England  in  the 
days  of  its  material  prosperity,  the  homes  of  their  child- 
hood, the  graves  of  their  fathers,  facing  wilderness,  want 
and  savage,  simply  to  pray  as  the  Spirit  taught  them  to 
pray  ;  who,  though  they  might  have  worshipped  in 
solemn  temples,  in  cathedral  choirs,  the  eye  ravished 
with  beauty  and  the  air  with  music,  preferred  the  rude 
log-house  in  the  forest  or  the  temple  not  made  with 
hands,  and  to  royal  favor  the  favor  of  the  King  of 
kings  ;  who,  instead  of  basking  in  sunshine  could  stand 
out  in  the  cold,  and  when  they  got  into  their  new  homes 
could  bar  the  doors  not  only  against  all  sorts  of  intrud- 
ers, but  against  bishop  and  king  ;  men  and  women  who, 


38  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

though  not  mthout  the  ftiilings  of  theh^  tune  and  faiUngs 
of  their  own  which  it  is  not  easy  to  love,  had  the  quaU- 
ties  which  fitted  them  to  be  the  founders  of  empire, 
conditores  imperiorum,  and  what  is  higher  and  better, 
the  founders  of  free  states. 

We  must  remember  also  that  the  colonies  were  settled 
after  the  opening  of  that  great  conflict  between  freedom 
and  prerogative  in  England,  which  in  its  later  stages  we 
call  the  Great  Rebelhon,  and  of  which  the  first  great 
issue  was  the  denial  of  any  power  of  taxation  except  by 
the  people  represented  in  Parliament.  The  colonists 
bore  to  their  new  homes  the  logic  and  the  courage  of 
this  debate.  "  England,"  said  Mr.  Burke,  "  is  a  nation 
which  I  still  hope  respects  and  formerly  adored  her  free- 
dom. The  colonists  emigrated  from  you  when  this  part 
of  yovir  character  was  most  predominant." 

This  great  conflict  drew  to  itself  all  the  thought, 
activity,  foresight,  and  vigilance  of  crown  and  parlia- 
ment and  people,  and  led  to  the  neglect  of  the  colonies 
for  a  generation.  When  the  storm  subsided  for  a  time 
into  the  dead  sea  of  despotism  and  rottenness,  and 
attention  was  drawn  to  the  colonies  as  possible  sources 
of  profit,  they  had  acquired  a  considerable  degree  of 
strength  and  stability.  They  had  from  necessity  become 
adepts  in  the  art  and  practice  of  independent  local  gov- 
ernment, and  their  confidence  in  and  attachment  to  it 
were  thenceforth  the  conviction  and  passion  of  their 
history.  Indeed  the  New  England  colonies  during  the 
first  generation  of  the  planters  were  substantially  inde- 
pendent states.    The  only  practical  limitation  upon  their 


ORATION.  39 

independence  was  in  the  powers  they  conferred  upon 
the  confederation  of  the  ]S^ew  England  colonies,  and  the 
forming  of  that  confederation  was  not  only  the  assertion 
of  self-government,  but  the  germ  and  prophecy  of  a 
new  nation. 

]N"or  must  we  leave  out  of  the  account  the  distance  of 
the  colonies  from  England,  the  three  thousand  miles  of 
inhospitable  ocean  that  rolled  between  ;  without  steam 
or  telegraph  equal  to  half  the  circuit  of  the  globe  to- 
day. To  the  colonies,  remoteness  was  to  some  extent 
neglect,  and  neglect  was  safety.  It  took  a  long  rod  and 
outstretched  arm  to  reach  them.  "  To  every  thing  there 
is  a  season  and  a  time  to  every  purpose  under  the 
heaven."  Xo  man  can  venture  to  say  that  with  the 
present  facilities  of  access  and  intercourse,  the  present 
practical  neighborhood  of  England  and  America,  local 
self-goverament  or  separate  government  would  have 
been  secured.  The  ocean,  with  its  depths  throbbing 
with  command  and  threat,  and  the  steamer  flitlmg  over 
its  bosom,  swifter  than  a  weaver's  shuttle,  to  enforce 
them  would  have  been  not  a  barrier  but  an  easy  path- 
way to  aggressive  and  restraining  power. 

There  was  one  gift  of  England  to  the  colonies, — I 
had  almost  said  her  only  gift, — that  of  wise  and  good 
men.  The  little  island  has  always  been  magna  parens 
virum  and  never  more  fruitful  than  when  the  colonies 
were  planted.  She  sent,  or  rather  by  her  harsh  discipline 
drove,  to  the  wilderness  some  of  her  choicest  spirits,  men 
of  liberal  culture,  trained  in  her  best  schools  and  in  her 
universities,  by  whose  wisdom,  foresight,  and  goodness 


40  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

were  laid  the  foundations  of  that  system  of  educa- 
tion for  the  whole  people  which  in  our  progress  towards 
free  institutions  has  been  the  most  efficient  motive 
power,  our  inspiration,  our  safety  ;  and  so  may  be  for 
the  coming  generations  unless  they  make  the  sad  mis- 
take of  divorcing  the  culture  of  the  brain  from  the 
culture  of  the  heart. 

Another  thing  the  planters  brought  with  them  was 
the  common  law  of  England.  On  this  matter  there  has 
been,  I  think,  no  little  mistake  and  exaggeration.  The 
fact  is,  that  the  young  states  could  not  have  lived  under 
the  common  law  of  England  as  it  was  at  the  opening  of 
the  seventeenth  century:  they  would  have  been  crushed 
by  the  weight  of  the  armor. 

AVhat  the  colonists  brought  with  them  was  so  much 
only  of  the  common  law  as  was  adapted  to  their  condi- 
tion. In  Virginia  it  was  more  closely  adhered  to  ;  but 
the  common  law,  which  the  'New  England  colonists  did 
not  like,  was  found  not  to  be  adapted  to  their  condition. 
Its  rules  which  protected  their  rights  as  men,  its  doc- 
trines and  muniments  of  personal  liberty,  they  adopted 
and  used,  not  always  with  their  brethren  or  the  stranger 
within  their  gates,  but  always,  and  often  effectively 
against  arbitrary  power  at  home.  The  laws  regulating 
the  descent  of  land  in  the  mother  country  they  would 
not  have.  They  saw  that  the  effect  of  the  rule  by 
which  the  real  estate  passed  to  the  eldest  son  had  been 
to  keep  property  in  few  hands,  and  thus  to  build  up  and 
sustain  an  aristocracy.  The  change  of  the  law  by 
which  landed   estate  was  divided   among  the  children 


ORATION.  41 

(the  eldest  son,  however,  taking  two  parts)  had  more 
mfluence  than  any  other  one  fact  in  leading  the  way  to 
democratic  institutions.  We  shall  not  appreciate  its  fall 
influence  unless  we  recollect  how  large  a  proportion  of 
wdiat  we  call  property  was  then  real  estate.  To-day 
colossal  fortunes  may  be  built  up  without  a  rood  of  land. 
Indeed,  by  our  system  of  corporations  and  corporate 
stocks,  vast  quantities  of  landed  estate  have  been  trans- 
muted into  personal  property. 

So  much  it  seemed  to  me  well  to  say  as  to  the  time 
and  circumstances  of  the  planting  of  the  colonies  and 
of  the  material  of  which  they  were  composed. 

FORMS    OF   GOVERl^MENT. 

A  word  should  be  said  as  to  the  forms  of  government 
under  which  the  plantations  grew  up  to  States. 

By  the  settled  principles  of  public  law  the  country 
occupied  by  the  colonies  was  part  of  the  dominion 
belonging  to  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain  by  right  of 
discovery  ;  with  perhaps  the  additional  title  in  the  case 
of  ^ew  York  of  right  by  conquest  from  the  Dutch. 
The  title  to  every  acre  of  land  was  held  immediately  or 
mediately  by  grants  from  the  Crown.  Whatever  title 
the  Indian  may  have  had  to  the  soil,  it  was  the  exclusive 
right  of  the  government  to  extinguish  it,  and  to  exclude 
all  persons  from  gaining  any  title  by  grants  from  the 
natives.  With  the  moral  basis  of  this  law  I  have  not  to 
deal.  It  is  the  law  recognized  by  all  civilized  states, 
and  affirmed  by  our  highest  judicial  tribunal. 

6 


42  CENTENNIAL  CELEBEATION. 

Again,  all  civil  authority  used  in  the  colonies  was 
derived  from  the  Crown  as  representing  the  sovereignty 
of  the  British  Empire.  The  voluntary  compacts,  as 
those  entered  into  in  the  harbor  of  Cape  Cod  and  in 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  and  I^^ew  Haven,  however 
important  in  the  lessons  they  taught  of  the  true  founda- 
tion of  government  in  the  consent  of  the  goveraed, 
were  temporary  only  and  clearly  in  conflict  with  the 
settled  law  of  the  time. 

The  difi*erent  forms  of  colonial  governments,  the 
charter,  the  provincial,  and  the  proprietary,  are  worthy 
of  attention  as  indicating  the  want  of  any  uniform  and 
stable  policy  in  the  parent  country,  and  especially  in  the 
most  important  feature  of  all,  the  extent  of  self-govern- 
ment granted  and  control  reserved  by  the  granting 
power;  though  on  this  last  point  it  should  be  remarked 
that  there  was  nothing  Crown  or  Parliament  esteemed 
as  less  binding  than  the  solemn  contract  contained  in  a 
colonial  charter. 

Some  of  the  charters,  had  they  been  held  sacred, 
would  have  given  the  people  of  the  colonies  govei'u- 
ments  substantially  independent.  The  charter  creating 
the  body  politic  by  the  name  of  "  the  Governor  and 
Company  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  ]^ew  England  " 
when  the  corporation  was  removed  and  the  charter 
transferred,  so  that  the  powers  of  government  might  be 
used  by  the  actual  settlers,  with  the  breadth  of  construc- 
tion they  gave  to  the  powers  granted  and  the  rigid 
limitation  of  the  powers  reserved,  really  created  an 
independent  State. 


ORATION.  43 

The  charter  granted  by  Charles  II.  to  Rhode  Island 
estabhshed  so  free  a  government  that  it  contmned  to  be, 
with  slight  changes,  the  organic  law  of  the  State  for 
sixty-five  years  after  the  separation;  and  for  freedom  in 
matters  of  I'eligions  concernment,  was  in  advance  of 
some  of  the  present  constitutions  of  the  States  of  the 
Union.  But  whatever  the  difference  of  forms  of  gov- 
ernment, into  the  consideration  of  which  I  have  not  time 
to  enter,  there  was  in  all  the  pledge  "that  all  subjects  of 
the  Crown  who  should  become  inhabitants  in  the  col- 
onies and  their  children  born  there  should  enjoy  all  the 
liberties,  franchises,  and  immunities  of  free  and  natural 
subjects,  as  if  they  and  every  one  of  them  were  born 
Avithin  the  realm  of  England," — words  of  large  import 
which  England  forgot,  but  the  colonists  did  not. 

The  other  fact  to  be  remarked  is  that  either  by  these 
charters  or  by  their  own  acts  and  the  acquiescence  of 
the  Crown  and  Parliament,  they  established  representa- 
tive assemblies,  which  slowly  but  firmly  absorbed  to 
themselves  the  powers  of  government,  as  the  House  of 
Commons  in  England  has  done  by  holding  the  purse 
and  the  power  to  say  "  we  give  and  grant." 

Much  of  the  work  of  human  life  is  like  that  of 
Penelope  on  the  shroud  of  Laertes, — the  unravelling  in 
the  night  what  was  woven  in  the  day.  But  the  history 
of  the  colonies  from  the  time  of  their  planting  to  the 
close  of  the  French  War  in  1763,  with  retrocession  here 
and  there,  was  a  struggle  for  self-government,  freedom, 
and  the  right  to  grow  on  the  one  hand,  and  for  the 
tightening  of  bonds  and  repression  on  the  other. 


44  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

LN-TEEIOR   LIFE    OF    THE    COLOXIES. 

The  circumstances  and  conditions  of  the  interior  life 
of  the  colonies,  which  seem  at  first  view  adverse  to  their 
growth  and  material  prosperity,  were  most  influential  in 
moulding  the  character  of  their  institutions  and  opening 
the  way  to  ultimate  freedom  and  independence.  The 
subduing  of  the  wilderness,  the  conflicts  with  the  sav- 
age, and,  when  the  savage  w^as  quiet,  with  each  other, 
bred  in  them  hardihood  and  self-reliance,  and  a  certain 
aptitude  not  to  say  love  of  combat  with  sword,  tongue, 
and  pen.  The  separation  and  isolation  within  the  colo- 
nies, of  town,  precinct,  and  school  district,  gave  the 
habit  aiid  practice  of  local  government.  Wherever 
there  were  people  enough  to  have  a  meeting-house, 
school-house,  tavern  and  store,  grew  up  a  little  democ- 
racy, and  these  democracies,  represented  in  the  legisla- 
ture, made  up  the  State. 

This  attachment  to  local  government,  and  jealousy 
and  distrust  of  outside  power  by  the  colonists,  is  the 
key  to  and  solution  of  much  of  their  future  history. 
Beneficent  in  its  early  results,  and  later  when  kept 
within  reasonable  bounds,  it  has  in  the  great  exigencies 
of  our  nation's  history  crippled  our  strength  and  imper- 
illed our  safety.  They  were  attached  to  their  charters, 
because  they  secured  to  them  the  rights  and  immunities 
of  English  subjects  ;  but  their  construction  of  the  char- 
ters was  always  in  the  direction  of  self-government  ; 
and  to  the  laws  of  England,  which  restricted  this  right 
or  their  rights  of  ti-ade  and  commerce,  they  gave  the 


ORATION.  45 

smallest  share  of  obedience  practicable.  In  every  stage 
of  their  history,  there  is  constantly  outcropping  the 
opinion  and  sentiment  that  the  young  States  were 
planted  by  their  care,  watered  by  their  tears,  preserved 
by  their  vigilance,  the  fruit  of  their  labors,  and  that  any 
attemjDt  of  the  parent  country  to  control  and  subordin- 
ate and  sacrifice  their  interests  to  her  own,  was  not  only 
in  violation  of  their  rights  as  English  subjects,  but  of 
their  higher  rights  as  men. 


ACTS  OP  xavigatio:n^  a^^d  laws  of  trade. 

Such  was  the  colonial  policy  of  England,  as  illus- 
trated in  her  acts  of  navigation  and  laws  of  trade  ;  she 
neglected  the  colonies,  except  when  they  grew  to  be 
sources  of  profit  to  herself,  to  her  trade  and  manufac- 
tures ;  and  then  came  the  policy  of  monopoly  and 
repression. 

I  remember  being  deeply  impressed  by  reading  some 
remarks  made  by  Mr.  Huskisson,  one  of  the  wisest  of 
English  statesmen,  in  1826,  in  the  House  of  Commons  : 
"  It  is  generally  believed,"  he  said,  "  that  the  attempt  to 
tax  our  American  colonies,  without  their  consent,  was 
the  sole  cause  of  the  separation  of  those  colonies  from 
the  mother  country.  But  if  the  whole  history  of  the 
period  between  the  year  1763  and  the  year  1773  be 
attentively  examined,  it  will,  I  think,  be  abundantly  evi- 
dent that,  however  the  attempt  at  taxation  may  have 
contributed  somewhat  to  hasten  the  explosion,  the  train 
had   been   long  laid   in  the    severe   and   exasperating 


40  CION  TKNNIAIi  CKM-llUiATION. 

('Morts  of  this  coimli-y  to  ('iiloi'cc,  with  inopportune  and 
incicasin^'  vii;-or,  \\w.  strictcHt.  and  most  annoying  regu- 
lations ()('  our  colonial  and  navigation  code." 

''  I^]vei-v  petty  advcTitnre  in  which  the  colonists  eiu- 
h.-n-ked  wns  \  iewed  hv  the  niei'chants  of  this  country 
and  the  l>o:n"d  of  l^'ade  oi'tlijit  day  as  an  encroachment 
on  the  connnei-cial  monoj)olv  of  (u'cat  Uritain.  I1ie 
piot'essional  subtlety  of  lawyers  and  tlu»  piactical 
iugeuuitv  of  custom-house  ollicei's  wei'i^  constantly  at 
work  in  ministering  to  the  jealous  hut  mistakiMi  views 
of  our  seapoi'ts.  Ulind  to  the  conse(|uences  elsewhere, 
they  persi'vei-ed  in  theii'  attiun|)ts  to  put  down  the  spirit 
of  comnuM'cial  entei'prise  in  tlu*  |)e()|)le  of  New  l^]ngland 
until  those  attempts  roused  a  very  dilfiMVut  spirit, — that 
s|)irit  which  veutuiHul  to  look  [\)v  political  indej)eudonce 
from  the  issue  i)['  a  successful  ri^bellion/' 

Mv  own  studies  and  rellection  Ikuc'  led  me  to  think 
that  the  laws  {){'  ua\igation  and  trade  were,  if  not 
the  pi'oximate,  p(M"haj)s  tlu»  pre(K)miuaut  and  most 
ellicient  cause  ^A'  sepaiation. 

The  importance  {)['  their  study  is  ol>\  ions.  Tliey 
show  the  earlier  and  later  pt)licy  oi'  l']ngland  towards 
her  ct>louies,  her  si'ttUnl  purpose  to  subordinate  their 
couuuerce,  trade,  and  manufactui'ivs  to  her  own.  4^hey 
toucluul  all  the  colonies,  ihe  Southern  as  Wi^ll  as  the 
NortluMMi,  the  tobacco  kA'  \'ii-giuia  and  the  rice  oi' 
South  Carolina,  as  well  as  the  bnuber,  lish,  ixud  cattle  oi' 
Nvw  Knglaud,  thus  iutlicatiug  to  them  that  there  were 
vital  mallei's  in  which  their  intiM-ests  were  one. 

Mr.     \\\d)sler   said, —  I     do     not     know     whether    the 


ORATION.  47 

remark  has  got  into  print, —  that  the  best  way  to  study 
the  history  of  England  was  in  her  statutes  at  large.  I 
cannot  embody  the  provisions  of  these  statutes  in 
an  address,  but  must  content  myself  with  a  very 
general  and,  of  course,  imperfect  outline. 

The  commercial  monopoly  did  not  begin  with  acts  of 
Parliament,  but  with  orders  of  the  king,  in  council. 

Soon  after  tobacco  was  imported  into  England 
(1621),  heavy  duties  were  laid  upon  it  by  orders  of  the 
crown.  As  this  "  daft "  king  in  his  "  counterblast "  had 
announced  that  the  habit  of  smoking  proceeded  directly 
from  the  Evil  Spirit,  it  is  strange  he  did  not  strike  at 
the  root,  and  forbid  the  raising  of  the  tempter's  seduct- 
ive enchantment.  The  planters  sent  it  to  Holland,  when 
came  a  new  order  that  no  tobacco  or  other  product  of  the 
colonies  should  thenceforth  be  carried  into  any  foreign 
ports,  until  they  were  first  landed  in  England  and  the 
customs  paid. 

The  beginning  of  restrictive  legislation,  curiously 
enough,  was  with  the  convention  or  republican  parlia- 
ment of  1651,  which  confined  the  trade  with  the  planta- 
tions to  English  or  colonial  built  ships,  belonging  to 
English  subjects,  or  subjects  of  the  plantations,  with 
the  exception  of  such  articles  as  should  be  imported 
directly  from  the  original  place  of  manufacture  in 
Europe.  This  was  a  regulation  of  commerce  springing 
from  the  rivalry  of  England  with  Holland,  then  the 
great  carrier  of  the  world,  but  as  the  colonies  were  not 
then  building  ships  the  result  was  they  had  to  pay  the 
English  carrier  his  own  price. 


48  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

The  Act  of  the  12th  Charles  II.,  two  years 
after  his  restoration  (for  the  EngUsh  Statute  Book 
ignores  the  reign  of  her  gi-eatest  soldier  and  ruler), 
affirming  the  same  restrictions  as  to  ships,  ordered  that 
sugars-,  tobacco,  and  other  enumerated  articles,  products 
of  the  plantations,  should,  if  exported,  instead  of  being 
carried  directly  to  the  place  of  consumiDtion,  be  first 
landed  in  England,  Wales,  or  other  British  plantation. 
To  the  list  of  enumerated  articles  additions  were  made, 
from  time  to  time,  of  molasses,  tar,  pitch,  turpentine, 
rice,  lurs,  and  many  others.  The  object  and  effect  of 
these  laws  was  to  force  the  colonies  to  sell  their 
products  in  the  English  market  only,  for  they  could  not 
be  sold  to  any  other  people  without  paying  the  charges 
of  freight  to  Great  Britain,  the  port  dues  and  commis- 
sions there,  and  a  second  freight  to  the  country  of 
sale.  In  substance,  the  command  was,  sell  to  us  or  not 
at  all. 

So  much  for  the  exjport  trade,  and  the  market  for  the 
sale  of  colonial  products.  An  act  two  years  later 
(1663)  limited  the  imjjort  trade  and  commerce  of  the 
colonies,  providing  that  no  commodity  of  the  growth  or 
manufacture  of  Europe  should  be  imported  into  the 
king's  plantations,  but  what  shall  have  been  shipped  in 
England,  Wales,  or  town  of  Berwick,  and  in  English 
built  shipping,  and  carried  directly  to  the  plantations. 
That  is,  you  may  sell  only  to  us  and  you  must  buy  only 
of  us,  whether  the  thing  purchased  be  of  our  growth  or 
manufacture  or  not.  If  a  man  went  from  Boston  to 
Scotland  to  buy  carpeting,  he  must  first  ship  to  Eng- 


ORATION.  49 

land,  pay  the  dues  and  commissions  there,  then  find  an 
EngUsh  ship  to  carry  it  to  his  home,  however  much 
better  or  cheaper  freight  could  be  found  elsewhere. 

In  the  preamble  to  this  act,  among  the  reasons  given 
for  its  adoption,  are  the  keeping  the  colonies  in  "  a 
firmer  dependence  upon  England,  and  the  '  vent '  of 
English  woolens  and  other  manufactures  and  com- 
modities." 

To  this  point  of  time  the  intercourse  of  colony  with 
colony  had  been  left  free,  but  in  1672  certain  colonial 
products,  transported  from  one  colony  to  another,  were 
subjected  to  duties  ;  for  example,  sugars,  tobacco,  and 
cotton  wool. 

In  the  view  of  the  colonies  these  acts  were  not  only 
destructive  to  their  interests,  but  in  violation  of  their 
charters,  which  secured  to  them  the  liberties,  franchises, 
and  immunities  of  English  subjects.  In  Massachusetts 
and  Rhode  Island  they  were  pretty  faithfully  disobeyed, 
and  in  the  other  I^ew  England  colonies  so  generally 
that  in  1675  the  Lord's  committee  of  the  colonies  in- 
quired of  the  Lord  Treasurer,  Danby,  with  a  sort  of 
grim  humor,  "  whether  the  commisioners  of  the  customs 
considered  the  Acts  as  extending  to  IN^ew  England  ?" 

Kepresentations  were  about  the  same  time  made  to 
the  King,  by  English  merchants  and  manufacturers,  that 
the  inhabitants  of  Xew  England  disregarded  the  Acts 
of  I*^avigation  and  traded  freely  with  all  parts  of 
Europe,  by  which  the  navigation  and  revenues  of  Eng- 
land were  greatly  injured,  and  their  dependence  on  the 
parent  country   rendered    less    secure,   if    not   totally 


50  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

destroyed  ;  which  being  interpreted  meant,  "We  can't 
sell  them  our  goods  at  our  own  prices ;  they  have  the 
folly  to  buy  where  they  can  buy  cheapest.  Their  prayer 
was  that  the  people  of  'New  England  might  be  com- 
pelled to  obey  the  laws,  that  is,  buy  of  them  only.  The 
committee  on  plantations  having  heard  the  complaints, 
resolved  that  "  the  Acts  should  be  enforced."  But  it 
was — as  we  have  discovered  in  this  age  of  resolutions — 
one  thing  to  resolve  and  another  to  execute.  And  in 
1677,  we  find  Edward  Randolph,  in  answer  to  inquiries 
of  the  committee  of  plantations,  stating  that  in  Massa- 
chusetts no  notice  was  taken  of  the  Acts  of  JS'avigation 
or  any  other  laws  made  in  England  for  the  regulation 
of  trade,  and  adding,  "  All  nations  have  free  liberty 
to  come  into  its  ports  and  vend  their  commodities 
without  any  restraint,  and  in  this  as  well  as  other 
things  that  Government  would  make  the  world  believe 
they  are  a  free  State  and  do  act  in  all  matters  accord- 
ingly." 

'The  agent  of  Massachusetts  wrote  from  England 
"  that  without  the  laws  were  complied  with  there  can 
nothing  be  expected  but  a  total  breach  and  all  the 
storms  of  displeasure  that  may  be."  The  General 
Court,  in  reply,  acknowledged  that  they  had  not  been 
observed,  "  because  they  had  never  received  their  assent, 
and  therefore  were  not  obligatory.  They  apprehended 
them  to  be  an  invasion  of  the  rights,  liberties,  and  prop- 
erties of  the  subjects  of  His  Majesty  in  the  colony,  they 
not  being  represented  in  parliament."  They  say,  how- 
ever, that  as  His  Majesty  had  signified  his  pleasure  that 


ORATION.  51 

the  Acts  should  be  observed  in  Massachusetts,  they  had 
made  provision  by  a  law  of  the  colony  that  it  should  be 
attended  to.  This  provision  was  the  Colony  Act  of 
October,  1677.  As  it  was  frequently  stated  in  the  con- 
troversies resulting  in  separation,  that  the  power  of 
parliament  in  the  matter  of  regulating  commerce  and 
the  external  taxation  of  the  colonies  had  never  been 
questioned,  and  so  affirmed  by  Franklin  in  his  examina- 
tion before  the  House  of  Commons  in  1766,  and  by 
Macaulay,  apparently  upon  his  authority,  a  century  later, 
it  may  be  well  to  note  this  declaration  of  the  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts,  as  one  of  many  instances  in 
which  that  power  was  denied. 

The  revolution  of  1688,  which  did  so  much  to 
enthrone  "  liberty  in  law "  in  England,  proved  of  little 
advantage  to  the  colonies  ;  none  whatever  in  matters  of 
trade  and  commerce.  The  Dutch  king  brought  with 
him  none  of  the  spirit  of  commercial  freedom  of  Hol- 
land. In  1696,  when  his  attention  had  been  withdrawn 
for  a  time  from  the  affairs  of  the  continent,  the  Board 
of  Trade  was  authorized  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of 
the  plantations,  as  well  with  regard  to  the  administra- 
tion of  government,  as  in  relation  to  commerce,  and 
(here  we  have  again  the  policy  of  England  in  a  nut- 
shell) "how  these  colonies  might  be  rendered  most 
beneficial  to  this  kingdom."  An  act  was  passed  about 
the  same  time  for  the  vigorous  enforcement  of  the  Acts 
of  N^avigation,  authorizing,  among  other  things,  officers 
"to  visit,  search,  and  seize,  vessels  and  their  cargoes,  and 
to  enter   all   houses    and   storehouses,   to   seize   goods 


52  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

illegally  imported,  and  declaring  any  law  or  usage  of 
the  colonies  in  conflict  with  the  Acts  of  ^N^avigation,  or 
with  any  other  laiu  hereafter  to  he  passed  in  this 
Mngdom  relating  to  the  plantations,  null  and  void." 

But  the  genius  of  enterprise  and  industry  in  the  ^ew 
England  colonies  was  irrepressible. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
colonies,  especially  those  of  ]^ew  England,  had  become 
engaged  in  a  lucrative  trade  with  the  French,  Spanish, 
and  Dutch  West  Indies,  the  northern  colonies  carrying 
to  them  fish,  lumber,  grain,  horses  and  cattle,  and  taking 
in  exchange  the  products  of  those  islands,  rum,  sugar, 
and  molasses. 

The  English  sugar-planters  complained  of  this  trade 
as  injurious  to  them,  and  in  1733  Parliament  imposed 
heavy  duties  on  rum,  sugar,  and  molasses,  imported  from 
foreign  colonies  ;  duties  so  onerous  as  to  have  resulted 
in  prohibition  and  the  entire  cutting  off  this  branch  of 
their  trade,  had  the  laws  been  fully  enforced,  but 
happily  they  could  not  be  fully  enforced  ;  the  protecting 
ocean  rolled  between. 

This  brief  outline  may  give  you  some  idea  of  the 
attempts  of  English  merchants  to  monopolize  the  trade 
in  the  products  or  raw  material  of  the  colonies. 

!N^ot  less  greedy  and  grasping  were  the  manufacturers 
of  England.  ^N'o  sooner  did  the  colonies  begin  to 
manufacture  for  themselves,  than  the  English  manufac- 
turers determined  to  prevent  any  interference  with  their 
own  industries,  and  this  not  by  making  cheaper  or  better 


OEATION.  53 

goods,  but  by  depriving  the  colonies  of  any  right  or 
power  to  compete  with  them. 

In  1699  the  policy  of  repression  began  by  an  Act 
providing  that  no  wool  yarn  or  woollen  manufacture 
should  be  shipped  or  laden  in  the  colonies,  in  order  to 
be  transported  from  thence  to  any  place  whatsoever. 

In  1719  the  House  of  Commons  declared  that  "  the 
erecting  manufactories  in  the  colonies  tended  to  lessen 
their  dependence  on  Great  Britain."  Language  has 
been  said  to  be  an  instrument  for  the  concealment  of 
thought.  The  disguise  is  too  thin  here  :  We  should 
write,  to  lessen  the  profits  of  our  business. 

In  1731  complaints  were  made  to  parliament  that 
"  the  colonies  were  carrying  on  trade,  and  setting  up 
manufactories  detrimental  to  the  trade,  navigation  and 
manufactures  of  Great  Britain."  The  Board  of  Trade, 
being  directed  to  inquire,  reported  that  such  was  the 
fact,  enumerating  among  the  manufactures,  those  of 
wool  and  flax,  iron,  paper,  hats  and  leather.  I  find, 
however,  no  legislation  immediately  following  the 
report. 

In  1732  the  company  of  hatters  in  London  complained 
to  parliament  that  hats  in  large  quantities  were  made  in 
I^ew  England  and  exported  to  Spain,  Portugal,  and  the 
British  West  India  Islands.  Their  influence  procured 
an  Act  (1732),  first,  to  prevent  the  exportation  of  hats 
from  the  colonies  to  foreign  countries  ;  secondly,  from 
being  carried  from  one  colony  to  another  ;  and  thirdly, 
because  folly  was  capable  of  a  further  step,  hats  were 
forbidden  being  "  shipped  or  laden  upon  a  horse,  cart  or 


54  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

other  carriage  with  the  intent  to  be  exported  to  any  other 
plantation,  or  to  any  place  whatever."  It  was  further 
provided  that  no  hatter  in  the  colonies  should  employ 
more  than  two  apprentices  at  once,  or  make  hats  unless 
he  had  served  an  apprentice  to  the  trade  seven  years  ; 
and  that  no  black  or  negro  should  make  a  hat.  One  is 
led  to  ask  what  sort  of  brains  were  under  the  hats  of 
England,  to  deal  thus  with  colonies  who,  as  Montesquieu 
expresses  it,  "  had  become  great  nations  in  the  forests 
they  were  sent  to  inhabit." 

The  iron  manufacturers  were  equally  anxious  that  the 
dependence  of  the  colonies  on  the  mother  country 
should  not  be  lessened.  In  1750  pig  iron  and  bar  iron 
might  be  imported  into  England  duty  free,  but  parlia- 
ment prohibited  the  erection  or  continuance  of  any  mill 
or  other  engine  for  slitting  or  rolling  iron,  or  any  plating 
forge,  or  any  furnace  for  making  steel,  under  the  penalty 
of  two  hundred  pounds.  ^ay,  more,  every  such 
engine,  plating  forge,  and  furnace  was  declared  a  com- 
mon nuisance,  to  be  abated  by  the  governors  of  the 
colonies,  on  the  information  of  two  witnesses  on  oath, 
within  thirty  days,  or  the  governors  to  forfeit  five 
hundred  pounds  for  each  neglect  of  duty. 

These  statutes  are  a  faithful  and  abiding  record  of 
the  dealings  of  England  with  her  American  colonies,  of 
the  narrow,  jealous  and  selfish  policy  she  pursued  up  to 
the  time  of  separation  in  the  regulation  of  their  com- 
merce, trade,  and  industries,  of  her  settled  purpose  to 
use,  restrict  or  suppress  them  for  her  own  aggrandize- 
ment.    I  confess  I  could  never  read  the  record  without 


ORATION.  55 

wrath  and  indignation  ;  and  I  do  not  find  myself  in  a 
very  amiable  mood  in  reviewing  her  dealings  with  us 
since  the  separation.  With  all  my  reverence  for  her 
jurisprudence,  and  especially  her  muniments  of  personal 
liberty,  her  literature,  her  great  masters  in  every  depart- 
ment of  thought,  for  her  social  and  domestic  virtues, 
to  us  she  has  been  less  than  magnanimous,  less  than 
just. 

It  is  of  no  use  to  say  such  were  the  policy  and  wisdom 
of  the  times.  The  colonial  policy  of  France,  Spain  and 
Portugal  was  in  the  spirit  of  their  own  governments  at 
home  ;  that  of  England  in  direct  conflict  with  the  spirit 
of  her  constitution.  England  was  capable  of  wiser  and 
better  things.  The  questions  involved  were  to  be 
settled,  not  by  a  broad  political  economy  of  the  freedom 
of  commerce  and  industry,  but  by  the  simplest,  most 
elementary  principles  of  justice  and  right.  And  the 
folly  and  injustice  of  the  w^hole  colonial  policy  were  laid 
bare  by  the  wisest  and  profoundest  of  her  writers  on 
economical  science,  Adam  Smith,  in  his  lectures  at  the 
University  of  Glasgow,  in  1748,  afterwards  embodied  in 
the  "  Wealth  of  ISTations,"  published  in  the  year  1776  ; 
to  the  industries  of  the  world  a  new  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence. At  the  close  of  his  great  chapter  on  the 
colonial  policy  he  denounces  the  English  laws  of  trade 
as  "  a  manifest  violation  of  the  most  sacred  rights  of 
mankind." 

VIGOROUS  e:ntorceme:n^t  oe    the    i^avigatiox  laws. 
What  our  fathers  called  the  French  war  was  the  final 


56  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

struggle  between  England  and  Prance  for  dominion  in 
America. 

After  the  capture  of  Quebec,  which  really  settled  the 
issue,  the  claim  was  made  in  parliament  to  raise  revenue 
in  America  to  meet  some  share  of  the  burdens  the  war 
had  imposed  on  the  mother  country,  and  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  defending,  protecting,  and  securing  the 
colonies. 

The  efforts  and  sacrifices  the  colonies  had  themselves 
made  in  the  war  were  well  known.  Thirty  thousand 
colonial  soldiers  had  fallen  by  disease  or  the  sword. 
The  expenditures  of  Massachusetts  alone  had  exceeded 
by  two  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars  the  sum  reimbursed 
by  parliament,  and  this  without  resort  to  paper  money. 
She  had  kept  an  average  of  from  four  to  seven  thousand 
men  in  the  field,  besides  men  for  garrison  duty  and 
recruits  for  the  British  regiments.  Parliament,  in  the 
year  1763,  voted  more  than  seven  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  repay  the  expenses  of  the  provinces  in  the 
last  year  of  the  war, — a  dnect  admission  that  they  had 
contributed  to  the  common  cause  more  than  their  just 
proportion. 

Prudence  would  have  said  to  the  British  ministry, 
We  must  deal  gently  with  the  colonies.  They  no 
longer  need  our  protection  ;  they  have  no  longer  the 
French  and  the  Indian  on  their  western  frontier. 
French  statesmen  and  English  had  predicted  that  the 
taking  of  Canada  by  England  might  result  in  their 
independence.  With  almost  2)rophetic  sagacity  Ver- 
gennes   had   said,    "England    will    repent   of    having 


ORATION.  57 

removed  the  only  check  that  could  keep  her  colonies  in 
awe.  They  stand  no  longer  in  need  of  her  protection. 
She  will  call  on  them  to  contribute  towards  supporting 
the  burdens  they  have  helped  to  bring  on  her,  and  they 
will  answer  by  striking  off  all  dependence." 

Ministry  and  people  undervalued  then,  as  they  had 
ever  before  and  have  ever  since,  the  capacity  and  spirit 
of  Englishmen  born  on  American  soil.  This  sense  of 
superiority  had  been  constantly  shown  to  the  American 
officers  and  troops  in  the  seven  years'  war,  and  had 
alienated  and  wounded  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
intermixture  of  the  soldiers  of  the  colonies  and  the  pur- 
suit of  a  common  end  had  tended  to  remove,  to  some 
extent,  local  prejudices,  and  to  give  to  the  colonists  a 
sense  of  common  interests. 

In  1760  the  British  ministry  determined  to  enforce 
the  j^avigation  Acts  with  greater  rigor.  'No  time  could 
be  more  inopportune  for  such  a  purpose,  and  this,  per- 
haps, explains  why  it  was  selected.  Orders  were  sent 
to  the  officers  of  the  customs  to  enforce  them,  especially 
in  Massachusetts  where  they  had  been  openly  disobeyed. 
For  this  purpose  the  officers  applied  to  the  Superior 
Court  of  the  Province  for  writs  of  assistance,  as  they 
were  called,  to  enable  officers  to  break  open  shops, 
warehouses  and  dwelling-houses  in  search  of  goods 
imported  in  violation  of  these  laws. 

The  legality  of  the  writs  was  argued  before  the 
Superior  Court,  James  Otis  appearing  for  the  merchants 
of  Boston  to  contest  their  issue.  The  traditions  would 
show  that  though  the  legality  of  the  writ  was  keenly 

8 


58  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

contested,  the  more  effective  part  of  the  argument  with 
the  people  was  the  vigorous  and  eloquent  attack  upon 
the  justice  and  validity  of  the  whole  body  of  the  laws 
the  writ  was  sought  to  enforce,  as  in  violation  of  the 
charter,  of  the  English  constitution,  and  of  natural 
justice. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  effect,  not  only  upon  his 
hearers,  but  upon  the  public  mind  and  heart  throughout 
the  continent.  It  struck  a  chord  to  which  all  the  colonies 
were  responsive.  It  touched  grievances  they  all  had 
suffered,  and  for  the  removal  of  which  unity  of  action 
was  the  only  hope.  John  Adams  puts  the  matter  with 
an  intensity  which,  with  the  old  man  eloquent,  seems  to 
have  grown  with  years,  "  Otis  was  a  flame  of  fire.  Ameri- 
can independence  was  then  and  there  born.  Then  and 
there  was  the  first  scene  of  the  first  act  of  opposition 
to  the  arbitrary  claims  of  Great  Britain."  Treating  the 
drama  of  which  he  speaks  as  the  imited  opposition  of 
the  colonies,  the  remark  is  just. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  with  the  careful  student  of  our 
history  that  the  practical  grievances  sustained  by  the 
Acts  of  ]^avigation  and  of  Trade  were  many  and  mani- 
fold, as  compared  with  any  imposed  or  sought  to  be 
imposed  by  internal  taxation.  They  swathed  the  grown 
man  with  the  bandages  of  childhood.  They  dwarfed 
and  crippled  the  growth  of  the  colonies.  They  were 
not  merely  taxes  on  property  acquired,  but  a  denial  of 
the  right  to  acquire  it.  To  the  ^N'orthern  colonies  who 
had  no  great  staples  and  could  not  live  by  agriculture 
alone,  they  were  a  denial  of  the  means  of  living. 


ORATION.  59 

The  difficulty  was  that  the  power  of  parhament  to 
regulate  the  commerce  of  the  empu-e  had  been  too 
generally  conceded,  and  it  was  not  readily  seen  how 
these  Acts  were  to  be  taken  from  under  this  general 
and  comprehensive  power.  "When,  however,  attention 
was  drawn  to  the  matter  of  internal  taxation,  and  the 
attempt  to  raise  revenue  by  acts  of  a  parliament  in  which 
the  colonies  had  no  voice,  it  was  perceived  that  the  same 
objection  was  applicable  to  any  laws  whose  direct  pur- 
pose or  effect  was  to  raise  a  revenue  from  the  colonies. 
The  colonists  were  slow,  however,  in  reaching  this 
result.  In  the  report  of  the  committee  on  colonial 
rights  in  the  Colonial  Convention  of  1765,  at  ]!^ew 
York,  it  is  acknowledged  "  that  the  parliament  collect- 
ively considered  as  consisting  of  king,  lords  and  com- 
mons, are  the  supreme  legislature  of  the  whole  empire, 
and  as  such  have  an  undoubted  jurisdiction  over  the 
colonies,  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  our  essential  rights, 
of  which  also  they  are  and  must  be  the  final  judges, 
and  even  the  applications  and  petitions  to  the  king  and 
parliament  to  implore  relief  in  our  present  difficulties 
will  be  an  ample  recognition  of  our  subjection  to  and 
dependence  on  that  legislature." 

Dr.  Franklin,  in  his  examination  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  in  1776, — the  most  striking  of  all  the  exhi- 
bitions of  his  wonderful  shrewdness  and  tact, — declared 
that  "the  authority  of  parliament  was  allowed  to  be 
valid  in  all  cases  except  such  as  should  lay  internal 
taxes.  It  was  never  disputed  in  duties  to  regulate 
commerce."     One  must  speak  with  trembling  under  the 


60  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

shadow  of  so  great  a  name,  but,  as  before  showii,  the 
records  are  otherwise.  ]N^or  can  the  distinction  FrankUn 
draws  between  the  external  duty  laid  on  a  commodity 
and  an  internal  tax,  to  wit,  that  the  payment  of  the  first 
is  voluntary  and  the  other  forced, — voluntary  because 
the  subject  is  not  compelled  to  buy  the  commodity  after 
the  duty  is  added, — be  regarded  as  sound.  As  applica- 
ble to  the  necessaries  or  comforts  of  life,  there  is  no 
difierence.  The  House  of  Assembly,  !Xew  York,  put 
this  matter  with  great  clearness  and  force  the  year 
before  :  "  For  with  submission,  since  all  impositions, 
whether  they  be  internal  taxes  or  duties  paid  for  luhat 
we  consume,  equally  diminish  the  estates  upon  v/hich 
they  are  charged,  what  avails  it  to  any  people  by  which 
of  them  they  are  impoverished  ?  Everything  will  be 
given  to  preserve  life  ;  and  though  there  is  a  diversity 
in  the  means,  yet  the  whole  wealth  of  a  country  may 
be  as  effectually  drawn  off  by  the  exaction  of  duties  as 
by  any  other  tax  upon  their  estates." 

The  declaration  of  rights  by  the  Continental  Congress 
of  1774,  after  claiming  for  the  colonies  free  and  exclu- 
sive legislation  in  all  cases  of  taxation  and  internal 
policy,  indicates  that  on  the  subject  of  external  taxation 
there  had  been  great  change  and  progress  of  opinion. 

"  But  from  the  necessity  of  the  case,"  says  the  decla- 
ration, "  and  a  regard  to  the  mutual  interests  of  both 
countries,  we  cheerfully  consent  to  the  operation  of  such 
Acts  of  the  British  parliament  as  are  honafide  restrained 
to  the  regulation  of  our  external  commerce,  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  the  commercial  advantages  of  the 


ORATION.  61 

whole  empire  to  the  mother  country,  and  the  commercial 
benefits  of  its  respective  members  ;  excluding  every  idea 
of  taxation,  internal  or  external,  for  raising  a  revenue  on 
the  subjects  in  America  without  their  consent."  It  is  safe 
to  say  that  this  distinction  would  soon  have  been  found 
unsatisfactory  ;  that  some  of  the  most  oppressive  of  the 
laws  of  trade  could  not  be  said  to  have  distinctly  for 
their  object  the  raising  of  revenue,  but  to  secure  to  the 
English  subjects  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  monopo- 
lies in  trade  and  manufactures,  not  only  offensive  to 
the  pride,  but  destructive  to  the  interests  of  the  English 
subjects  in  America. 

They  could  not  and  ought  not  to  have  tolerated  the 
distinction.  If  a  man  had  brains  and  could  raise  wool 
he  had  a  right  to  make  a  hat  to  cover  them,  and  if  he 
found  iron  ore  in  his  soil  he  had  a  right  to  make  a  pot 
to  boil  his  fowl  or  pork.  These  are  natural  home-bred 
rights,  which  no  refinement  of  logic  or  policy  and  no 
force  of  precedent  can  take  away  or  impair. 

INTERlSrAL    TAXATION". 

The  enforcement  of  the  [N^avigation  Laws  was  but 
part  of  the  plan  now  entered  upon  to  raise  a  revenue 
from  the  colonies.  That  for  internal  taxation  soon 
followed,  and  underlying  these  a  purpose  and  design  so 
to  modify  the  government  of  the  colonies  as  to  bring 
them  more  directly  under  the  power  of  parliament  and 
crown.  In  the  winter  of  1764  a  resolution  was  adopted, 
without  a  negative  vote,  by  parliament,  that  it  might 


62  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

"  be  proper  to  charge  certain  stamp  duties  in  the  colo- 
nies." On  the  13th  of  February,  1765,  the  bill  for  the 
Stamp  Act  was  introduced  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
On  the  27th  it  passed,  with  less  resistance  than  usually 
was  made  to  a  common  turnpike  bill.  On  the  8th  of 
March  the  bill  was  agreed  to  by  the  House  of  Lords 
without  debate  or  dissenting  vote.  On  the  22d  of 
March  it  received  the  royal  assent  by  commission,  the 
king  being,  as  now  understood,  insane.  The  distinction 
between  internal  and  external  taxation,  if  seen,  was 
utterly  disregarded  by  the  ruling  statesmen  of  England, 
if  men  may  be  called  statesmen  whose  course  was 
marked  by  such  pride,  weakness,  vacillation,  and 
capacity  of  doing  the  wrong  thing  almost  every  time, 
and  the  right  thing  at  the  wrong  time,  as  char- 
acterized the  British  ministry  and  King  from  the 
close  of  the  French  war  to  the  peace  of  1783.  Such 
a  plan  had  been  suggested  to  Robert  Walpole  and 
William  Pitt,  but  their  robust  sense  had  rejected  it. 
We  could  not  state  to-day  the  impolicy  of  these  mea- 
sures more  forcibly  than  Walpole  did  years  before  they 
were  adopted  :  "  I  will  leave  the  taxation  of  the  Ameri- 
cans for  some  of  my  successors  who  may  have  more 
courage  than  I  have,  and  less  a  friend  to  commerce  than 
I  am.  It  has  been  a  maxim  with  me  during  my  admin- 
istration to  encourage  the  trade  of  the  American 
colonies  to  the  utmost  latitude  ;  nay,  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  pass  over  some  irregularities  in  their  trade  with 
Europe  ;  for  by  encouraging  them  to  an  extensive, 
growing  foreign  commerce,  if  they  gain  £500,000,  I  am 


ORATION.  63 

convinced  that  in  two  years  afterwards,  full  £250,000  of 
this  gain  will  be  in  His  Majesty's  exchequer,  by  the 
labor  and  product  of  this  Mngxlom,  as  immense  quanti- 
ties of  every  kind  of  our  manufactures,  go  thither,  and 
as  they  increase  in  the  foreign  American  trade  more  of 
our  produce  will  be  wanted.  This  is  taxing  them  more 
agreeably  to  their  own  constitution  and  laws." 

The  entrance  upon  the  policy  of  the  internal  taxation 
of  the  colonies  seemed  to  attract  as  little  attention  with 
the  people  of  England  as  with  parliament.  The  ques- 
tion whether  John  Wilkes  should  have  a  seat  from 
Middlesex  was  deemed  of  much  higher  moment.  But 
whatever  the  state  of  opinion  and  feeling  in  England, 
in  America  such  had  been  the  progress  of  opinion  that 
the  logic  of  the  policy  was  substantially  settled,  and  the 
practical  question  was  the  mode  of  resistance.  With 
the  enforcement  of  the  navigation  laws  superadded, 
submission  to  men  like  our  fathers  was  impossible.  One 
party  or  the  other  must  give  way.  These  were  the 
entering  wedges  ;  the  acts  of  the  next  ten  years  were 
but  the  blows  of  the  beetle. 

The  repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act  was  but  a  lull  in  the 
storm,  and  accompanied  as  it  was  by  the  assertion  of 
the  right  of  parliament  to  bind  the  colonies  in  all  cases 
whatever,  and  followed  by  the  declaration  of  the  leader 
of  the  ministerial  party  in  the  House  of  Commons 
(Charles  Townsend),  "that  America  should  be  regu- 
lated and  deprived  of  its  militating  and  contradictory 
charters,  and  its  royal  governors,  judges,  and  attorneys 


64  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

rendered  independent  of  the  people,"  was  an  act  of 
supremest  folly. 

The  repeal  was  followed  the  next  year  by  what  was 
known  as  the  Townsend  Revenue  Act,  miposing  duties 
on  glass,  paper,  painters'  colors,  and  tea,  making  pro- 
visions for  the  execution  of  the  laws  already  existing, 
for  establishing  a  Board  of  Customs  at  Boston  to  collect 
revenue,  and  for  legalizing  writs  of  assistance.  The 
line  of  separation  distinctly  drawn,  discussion,  increas- 
ing in  intensity  and  bitterness,  served  only  to  widen  the 
breach,  till  the  colonies  reached  the  conclusion  that  there 
was  no  safety  in  conceding  to  parliament  any  legislative 
power  over  them. 

The  suggestion  of  representatives  from  the  colonies 
in  parliament  was  impracticable.  The  distance,  Avith 
the  then  means  of  intercourse,  was  too  great,  and  the 
power  and  influence  of  the  home  government  and  repre- 
sentation would  have  utterly  overshadowed  them. 

And  the  other  system  thought  of  for  granting  supplies 
to  the  crown  by  the  colonial  legislatures  would,  as  De- 
Lolme  suggested  to  Franklin,  have  proved  unsatisfac- 
tory to  the  people  of  England,  as  tending  directly  to 
make  the  crown  independent  of  the  House  of  Commons. 
The  only  solution  of  the  difficulties  was  separation. 

If  one  were  asked  to  state  with  precision  the  legal 
cause  of  separation  he  would  find  it  difficult  to  give  an 
answer.  The  statesmen  and  jurists  of  the  colonies  and 
of  later  times  have  never  agreed  upon  the  matter. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  that  taxation  without  representa- 
tion was,  an  hundred  years  ago,  a  violation  of  the  rights 


ORATION.  65 

of  the  colonists  as  English  subjects.  It  has  oeen  esti- 
mated that  not  more  than  a  tenth  part  of  the  English 
people  were  represented  in  parliament.  Whole  com- 
munities, like  the  city  of  Manchester,  had  no  representa- 
tion. In  spite  of  the  splendid  declamation  of  Chatham 
it  is  not  plain  to  see  how  there  can  be  sovereign  power 
without  the  power  to  tax. 

"  Let,"  said  Lord  Chatham,  "  the  sovereign  authority 
of  this  country  over  the  colonies  be  asserted  in  as  strong 
terms  as  can  be  devised,  and  be  made  to  extend  to  every 
point  of  legislation  whatever,  that  we  may  bind  their 
trade,  confine  their  manufactures,  and  exercise  every 
power  whatever,  except  that  of  taking  money  out  of 
their  pockets  without  their  own  consent."  As  matter  of 
good  sense  the  distinction  cannot  be  maintained.  If  I 
am  forbidden  to  use  brain  or  hand  to  get  money  into  my 
pocket  it  is  useless  to  complain  of  a  tax  which  assumes 
to  take  it  out. 

It  does  not  meet  the  difficulty  to  say  that  "  taxes  were 
a  voluntary  gift  and  grant  of  the  commons  alone."  The 
proposition  was  not  quite  true,  for  the  concurrence  of 
the  lords  and  the  assent  of  the  king  were  necessary  to 
a  tax.  But  if  true,  it  was  also  true  that  the  House  of 
Commons  was  part,  and  the  most  effective  part,  of  the 
sovereign  power  of  England. 

;N'ow,   assuming  the   existence  of   a   constitution   in 

England   paramount   to    an   Act   of  parliament,  which 

means  that  an  Act  of  parliament  including  king,  lords 

and  commons  may  be  declared  void  by  the  courts,  it  is 

9 


66  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

not  easy  to  see  that  the  navigation  laws  were  not  within 
the  sovereign  power  to  regulate  commerce. 

It  is  easy  to  see  that  they  were  most  flagrant  abuses 
of  power,  that  they  were  in  violation  of  the  spirit  of 
the  colonial  charters,  that  they  were  destructive  of  the 
liberty,  happiness,  and  growth  of  the  colonies,  that  they 
justified  and  required  revolution,  and  appeal  from  the 
constitution  of  England  to  the  elder  charter,  on  which 
the  divine  hand  had  written  the  sacred  rights  of  human 
nature.  Charles  James  Fox  said,  that  "  among  the  con- 
troversies that  had  arisen  there  is  no  other  in  which  the 
natural  rights  of  men  on  the  one  hand  and  the  authority 
of  artificial  institutions  on  the  other  were  so  fairly  put  in 
issue,"  and  the  united  colonies  an  hundred  years  ago  to- 
day, declaring  the  causes  which  impelled  them  to  the 
separation,  put  the  issue  on  the  simple  ground  of 
natural  rights  ;  averring  that  to  secure  these  rights, 
"governments  are  instituted  among  men,  deriving  their 
just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed  ;  that 
whenever  any  form  of  government  becomes  destructive 
of  these  ends,  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or  to 
abolish  it." 

The  declaration  was  itself  the  act  of  separation.  It 
recognized  as  an  existing  fact  the  union  of  the  colonies 
into  "  one  people."  It  was  "  one  people  "  dissolving  the 
political  bands  that  had  connected  them  with  another, 
and  assuming  its  separate  and  equal  station  among  the 
powers  (or  nations)  of  the  earth.  "  Such  had  been  the 
revolution  of  opinion  as  to  the  poAver  of  parliament, 
that  the  declaration   ignores  its    existence,  refusing  to 


ORATION.  67 

recognize  that  the  colonies  had  ever  had  any  connection 
with  or  dependence  upon  it.  Parliament  is  known  in 
the  declaration  by  the  word  '  others.'  It  charges  the 
king  with  haying  combined  with  '  others  '  to  subject  us 
to  a  jurisdiction  foreign  to  our  constitution  and  unac- 
knowledged by  our  laws,  giving  his  assent  to  their  acts 
of  pi^etended  legislation." 

The  union  of  the  colonies  was  necessary  for  their 
common  defence  and  protection,  and  for  admission  into 
and  intercourse  with  the  society  of  nations.  The  differ- 
ences, the  local  prejudices,  resulting  from  their  charters 
and  forms  of  government,  their  manners,  religion,  tastes, 
trades,  and  domestic  policies,  were  for  a  time  forgotten, 
or  at  least  waived  in  the  presence  of  common  interest 
and  peril,  and  of  a  common  longing  for  larger  liberty 
and  freer  development.  It  required  no  great  delibera- 
tion or  sagacity  to  decide  what  should  be  the  character 
of  their  institutions  or  the  forms  of  their  governments. 

Republican  institutions  were  not  more  their  purpose 
and  aspiration  than  the  necessity  of  their  condition. 
The  power  of  the  crown  taken  away,  there  was  left  no 
material  out  of  which  to  construct  lords  temporal  or 
spiritual,  or  court  or  king.  Indeed,  so  democratic  had 
their  governments  groAvn  to  be  that  it  is  marvellous  to 
see  how  slight  a  change  of  frame-work  was  necessary 
to  convert  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay  into  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts. 

GOYERNMEKT   H^    THE    REV0LUTI0:N". 

There  was   a   new   nation,   but   without   established 


68  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

government.  The  articles  of  confederation,  though 
their  preparation  was  begun  in  1776,  were  not  submitted 
to  the  States  till  IS^ovember,  1777,  and,  requiring  the 
unanimous  consent  of  the  States,  did  not  go  into  effect 
till  March  1,  1781  ;  less  than  eight  months  before  the 
surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  and  his  army  to  the  com- 
bined forces  of  France  and  the  United  States,  and  the 
substantial  termination  of  the  war.  There  was,  how- 
ever, a  government,  of  somewhat  indefinite  powers,  but 
a  national  government.  It  is  sometimes  called  a  revo- 
lutionary government,  but  in  the  instructions  given  by 
the  provincial  and  state  assemblies  to  their  delegates 
will  be  found,  I  think,  authority  for  the  powers  actually 
used  by  the  Continental  Congress. 

The  resolution  of  the  Provincial  Congress  of  ]S^ew 
Jersey,  laid  before  Congress  on  the  28th  of  June,  1776, 
may  be  cited  as  an  example  : — 

"Unite  with  the  delegates  of  the  other  colonies  in 
declaring  the  united  colonies  independent  of  Great 
Britain  ;  entering  into  a  confederation  for  union  and 
common  defence  ;  making  treaties  with  foreign  nations 
for  commerce  and  assistance,  and  to  take  such  other 
measures  as  may  appear  to  them  and  you  necessary  for 
these  great  ends  ;  promising  to  support  them  with  the 
whole  force  of  this  province  ;  always  observing,  what- 
ever plan  of  confederacy  you  enter  into,  the  regulating 
the  internal  policies  of  this  province  is  to  be  reserved  to 
the  Colony  Legislature." 

But  if  not  by  original  grant  its  powers  were  certainly 
used  with   the   acquiescence   of    the   new   States.      If 


ORATION.  69 

springing  from  the  exigencies  of  the  new  nation, 
Government  would  have  expanded  its  powers  to  meet 
its  exigencies,  as  did  the  Puritan  parHament  of  16tl:5, 
and  the  convention  of  1688.  It  declared  independence, 
it  carried  on  war,  it  organized  a  national  army  and 
navy  ;  it  established  prize  courts  ',  it  emitted  bills  of 
credit  and  contracted  debts  on  national  account  ;  it 
regulated  duties  on  imports  and  exports  ;  it  made 
treaties,  it  formed  foreign  alliances  ;  it  created  for  six 
months  a  dictatorship  ;  but  it  consisted  of  a  single 
house  of  delegates  from  the  States,  each  State  having 
an  equal  vote.  Its  great  defect  was  the  want  of  power 
to  execute  its  own  decrees — if  it  made  a  requisition  for 
troops,  to  enforce  it,  or  if  it  made  a  requisition  for 
money,  to  le\'y  and  collect  a  tax. 

Had  there  been  power  in  the  Xational  Government  to 
use  at  its  will  and  discretion  the  resources  of  the 
country,  the  war  might  have  been  brought  to  a  much 
earlier  close  and  without  foreign  aid. 

THE    COlS^rEDEKATION. 

I  am  entering  upon  the  familiar  paths  of  history,  and 
must  hasten  my  steps.  One  lesson  which  our  history 
constantly  teaches  us,  I  must  venture  to  repeat  ;  it  is 
the  deeply-rooted  and  excessive  attachment  of  our 
fathers  to  local  government,  through  all  its  gradations, 
from  the  school  district  to  the  State  ;  with  what  firm- 
ness, even  under  the  pressure  of  imminent  danger  to 
liberty  and  life,  they  refused  to  give  to  the  Continental 
Congress  adequate  powers  to  carry  on  the  war  *    how, 


70  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

when  the  war  was  over,  they  fell  back  within  their  old 
boundaries  ;  with  what  reluctance  they  conceded  to  the 
national  government  its  most  essential  functions  ;  by 
what  close  and  narrow  construction  they  sought  to  limit 
and  restrict  the  powers  so  reluctantly  granted  ;  and 
how,  when  the  powers  of  the  central  government  have 
been  strained,  the  people,  the  exigency  past,  fall  back 
upon  their  old  love,  caring  not  so  much  for  government 
for  the  people  as  government  5?/  the  people  ! 

It  was  out  of  this  state  of  conviction,  habit,  and 
feeling  that  the  confederation  was  begotten,  born,  and 
died.  It  fell  from  its  inherent  weakness.  Its  defects 
may  be  stated  in  a  word  : — 

It  was  a  league  of  States  in  which  they  had  equal 
power. 

It  was  without  power  to  regulate  commerce. 

It  legislated  for  States  and  governments  instead  of 
the  individual  subject  or  citizen. 

But  its  greatest  vice  and  weakness  was  the  want  of 
power  to  construe  and  execute  its  own  laws.  It  had  an 
indefinite  discretion  to  call  for  men  and  money.  It 
could  not  command  obedience,  and,  as  "  government  is 
not  influence  merely,"  it  did  not  receive  it.  Without 
power  to  provide  for  the  national  debt  to  foreign  nations 
or  its  own  citizens,  it  was,  from  birth  to  death,  at  home 
and  abroad,  a  shame  and  a  reproach. 

THE    COlSrSTITUTION. 

But  this  ugly  adversity  had  a  jewel  in  its  breast. 
Out  of  this  nettle  danger  we  plucked  the  flower,  safety. 


ORATION.  •  71 

Out  of  this  confusion  and  disorder  came  the  Constitu- 
tion and  soUd  union  and  Hving  nationahty.  The  people 
were  very  slow  in  reaching  the  conclusion  that  radical 
change  was  necessary.  I  do  not  think  it  can  be  fairly 
said  that  a  majority  of  the  people  were  in  favor  of  the 
Constitution.  Mr.  John  Quincy  Adams,  in  his  oration 
on  the  Jubilee  of  the  Constitution,  declared  in  his  em- 
phatic way  that  "  the  Constitution  was  extorted  from 
the  grinding  necessity  of  a  reluctant  people."  Its 
adoption  was  one  of  the  occasions  in  which  the  leading 
minds  of  the  country  had  a  predominant  influence. 

My  own  impression  has  been  that  the  weight  of 
Washington's  opinion  and  character,  and  the  expecta- 
tion that  he  would  be  called  upon  to  administer  the  new 
government,  turned  the  scale.  Fortunate  man,  not  only 
in  the  elements  of  his  character,  but  in  his  great  oppor- 
tunities,— the  war  for  the  independence  of  his  country 
and  the  establishment  for  it  of  firm  and  stable  yet  free 
government  !  As  Mont  Blanc  among  the  Alps  lifts 
itself  in  simple  grandem-  above  the  surrounding  sum- 
mits, so  in  this  age  of  great  men  rises  the  lofty  form 
and  majestic  presence  of  him  who  "  was  first  in  war, 
first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen." 

To  the  genius  and  foresight  of  Hamilton,  when  a 
young  man  of  twenty-three  years,  we  owe  perhaps  the 
first  suggestion  of  a  national  government  with  sover- 
eign powers.  The  first  proposition  of  a  convention  to 
revise  and  amend  the  Confederation  was  from  the 
Legislature  in  ^ew  York,  in  1782,  and  probably  at 
Hamilton's    suggestion.      The    proposition    which    led 


72  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

directly  the  way  to  the  convention  which  framed  the 
Constitution  came  from  the  Legislature  of  Virginia,  in 
January,  1786,  for  a  convention  from  the  States  to 
regulate  commerce  with  foreign  nations.  Five  of  the 
States  only  sent  delegations  to  it  ;  but  these  concurred 
in  an  earnest  application  to  Congress  to  call  a  con- 
vention to  revise,  amend,  and  alter  the  Articles  of 
Confederation. 

The  delegates  of  twelve  of  the  thirteen  States  met  in 
May,  1787.  Fortunately  for  the  country,  it  was  a  union 
of  men  of  capacity,  experience,  wisdom,  probity,  and 
breadth  of  views  never  surpassed  in  a  deliberative  body 
among  men.  They  went  beyond  their  instructions. 
Instead  of  simply  revising  or  altering  the  Articles  of 
Confederation,  they  reported  a  Constitution  to  be  or- 
dained and  established  by  the  people  of  the  United 
States, — a  constitution  which  was  to  act,  not  upon 
States  nor  through  the  States  upon  citizens  of  States, 
but  directly  upon  citizens  of  the  United  States  ;  with 
a  broad  but  well  defined  sphere  of  national  government, 
within  that  sphere  supreme  and  clothed  with  adequate 
powers  to  construe  and  execute  its  own  laws.  As  com- 
pared with  the  confederation,  it  was  a  revolution.  The 
union  under  the  Articles  of  Confederation  was  made 
perpetual,  and  by  their  terms  no  alteration  could  be 
made  in  any  of  them  unless  the  alteration  was  agreed 
to  by  Congress  and  confirmed  by  the  legislature  of 
every  State.  It  was  a  compromise.  In  the  constitution 
of  the  senate,  clothed  with  high  legislative,  executive, 


ORATION.  73 

and  judicial  functions,  and  in  other  important  features, 
the  old  equality  of  the  States  was  continued. 

The  attachment  to  State  institutions,  the  jealousy  of 
central  jDower,  were  the  obstacles  the  friends  of  national 
government  had  to  overcome  in  the  convention  and  on 
the  question  of  the  ratification  of  the  constitution  by 
the  people  in  the  States.  To  these,  fidelity  to  history  com- 
pels us  to  add,  the  existence  in  a  portion  of  the  people 
of  a  spirit  of  hostility  to  law  and  order  and  any  form 
of  efficient  government  in  state  or  nation,  which  the 
confusion  and  disorder  of  the  times  and  the  imbecility 
of  government  had  tended  to  create  and  foster. 

The  new  government  went  into  operation  in  April, 
1789.  It  was  when,  on  the  30th  of  April,  1789,  Wash- 
ington was  inaugurated  as  President,  the  United  States 
really  assumed  "  its  equal  station  among  the  powers  of 
the  earth." 

There  were  defects  in  the  Constitution  ;  there  have 
been  errors  and  defects  in  its  administration  :  but  in 
spite  of  these  it  has  given  to  this  country  for  eighty- 
seven  years  the  most  stable  and  beneficent  government 
the  century  has  known.  It  has  settled  the  question 
whether  free  government  is  possible  among  men,  and 
for  the  last  half-century  the  governments  of  England 
and  of  the  continent  have,  it  may  be  unconsciously, 
been  profiting  by  its  example.  When  other  matters  in 
our  history  vex  or  wound  us,  as  they  will  if  we  feel  a 
stain  like  a  wound,  we  may  for  solace  turn  to  the  proem 
of  the  Declaration  and  the  preamble  of  the  Constitution 

10 


74  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

as  the  first  verses  of  the  best  chapters  of  the  past  cen- 
tury's history. 

THE   NEW   CENTURY. 

With  what  emotions,  with  what  convictions,  did  we 
hail  the  dawning  light  of  the  new  century  !  Were  the 
wings  of  the  morning  those  of  the  angel  of  death  or  of 
life,  of  despair  or  of  hope  ?  I  answer  for  myself,  of  life 
and  of  hope  ;  nay,  more,  of  faith  and  of  trust.  We 
have  causes  for  anxiety  and  watchfulness,  none  for 
despair.  The  evils  of  the  time  are  not  incurable,  and 
the  remedies,  simple  and  efficient,  are  in  our  hands. 

We  have  passed  through  a  period  of  expenditures 
almost  without  limit,  and,  therefore,  of  infinite  tempta- 
tions. Wars,  it  would  seem,  especially  civil  wars, 
loosen  the  moral  ties  of  society.  Civil  convulsions 
always  bring  more  or  less  bad  men  to  the  surface,  and 
some  are  still  afloat, — men,  whose  patriotism  not  ex-  , 
hausted  in  contracts  for  effete  muskets,  spavined  horses, 
and  rotten  ships,  are  ready  and  waiting  for  like  service. 

We  have,  in  the  feverish,  delirious  haste  to  get  rich, 
which  a  currency  capable  of  indefinite  ex2)ansion  always 
excites,  results,  more  direct  and  palpable,  in  unsettling 
values  and  the  foundations  of  public  and  private  faith, 
trust,  and  confidence. 

The  evils  are  curable,  but  not  by  noise  of  words,  not 
by  sonorous  resolutions  without  meaning,  or  only  the 
meaning  the  very  simple  reader  injects  into  their  empty 
veins. 

We  may  put  an  end  to   corruption  by   leading  our- 


ORATION.  75 

selves  honest  lives,  by  refusing  to  put  any  man  into  a 
public  trust,  no  matter  what  his  qualifications  or  past 
services,  who  is  corrupt,  or  suffers  himself  to  walk  on 
the  brink,  or  winks  at  those  who  are  wading  in  ;  by 
using  the  old-fashioned  old  testament  prescriptions  for 
rulers, — "  Men  of  truth,  hating  covetousness."  "  Thou 
shalt  take  no  gift."  "  Ye  shall  not  be  afraid  of  the  face 
of  man." 

The  evils  of  a  vicious  currency  can  be  remedied  only 
by  return  to  the  path  of  the  constitution  and  of  com- 
mercial integrity.  The  principles  are  simple  and 
elementary.  The  "  lawful  money  "  of  the  United  States 
is  the  coin  of  the  United  States,  or  foreign  coin  whose 
value  has  been  regulated  by  Congress  ;  that  is  the 
constitutional  doctrine.  Money  is  a  thing  of  intrinsic 
value,  and  the  standard  and  measure  of  value  ;  that  is 
the  economical  doctrine.  A  promise  to  pay  a  dollar  is  not 
a  dollar  ;  that  is  the  doctrine  of  morality  and  common 
sense.  We  cannot  vitalize  a  falsehood,  make  the 
shadow  the  substance,  the  sign  the  thing  signified,  the 
promise  to  pay  itself  payment.  Great  as  is  the  power 
of  Congress,  it  cannot  change  the  nature  of  things. 

So  long  as  the  power  is  left,  or  assumed  to  be  left,  to 
make  a  promise  to  pay  payment,  there  will  be  no  per- 
manent security  for  the  stability  of  values,  or  of  public 
or  private  faith. 

One  other  cure  of  corruption  is  open  to  us, — the 
stamping  out  of  the  doctrine  that  public  trusts  are  the 
spoils  of  partisan  victory.  The  higher  councils  may 
perhaps  be  changed.     An  administration  cannot  be  well 


76  CENTENNIAL  CELEBEATION. 

conducted  with  a  cabinet,  or  other  otficers  in  confiden- 
tial relations,  opposed  to  its  policy  ;  but  no  such  reason 
for  change  applies  to  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  the 
offices,  now  exposed  in  the  market  as  rewards  for 
partisan  service. 

Otherwise  than  in  these  evils  I  fail  to  see  especial 
proofs  of  the  degeneracy  of  the  times. 

Whether  the  men  and  women  of  this  generation  had 
fallen  from  the  standard  of  their  fathers  and  mothers, 
we  had  satisfactory  evidence  in  the  late  war.  I  care 
not  to  dwell  upon  its  origin  or  to  revive  its  memories. 
The  seceding  States  reaped  as  they  had  sown  ;  having 
sown  to  the  wind,  they  reaped  the  whirlwind.  Against 
what  was  to  them  the  most  beneficent  of  governments, 
known  and  felt  only  in  its  blessings,  they  waged,  it 
seemed  to  us,  causeless  war,  for  their  claim  to  extend 
slavery  into  the  new  States  and  territories  never  had 
solid  ground  of  law  or  policy  or  humanity  to  rest  upon  ; 
they  struck  at  the  flag  in  which  were  enfolded  our  most 
precious  hopes  for  ourselves  and  for  mankind.  They 
could  not  expect  a  great  nation  to  be  so  false  to  duty  as 
not  to  defend,  at  every  cost,  its  integrity  and  life. 

But  while,  as  matter  of  good  sense  and  logic,  the 
question  seemed  to  us  so  plain  a  one  ;  that  the  Union 
meant  nothing  if  a  State  might  at  its  election  withdraw 
from  it  ;  that  under  the  Articles  of  Confederation  the 
Union  had  been  made  perpetual  ;  that  the  Constitution 
was  adapted  to  form  a  more  "  perfect  union  "  than  that 
of  the  Confederation,  more  comprehensive,  direct,  and 
efficient  in  power,  and  not  less  durable  in  time  ;    that 


ORATION.  77 

there  Avas  no  word  in  it  looking  to  separation  ;  that  it 
had  careful  provisions  for  its  amendment,  none  for  its 
abrogation  ;  capacity  for  expansion,  none  for  contrac- 
tion ;  a  door  for  new  States  to  come  in,  none  for  old  or 
new  to  go  out  ;  we  should  find  that,  after  all,  upon  the 
question  of  legal  construction,  learned  and  philosophical 
statesmen  had  reached  a  different  conclusion  ;  we  should 
find,  also,  what  as  students  of  human  nature  we  should 
be  surprised  not  to  find,  that  the  opinions  of  men  on 
this  question  had,  at  diffei^ent  times  and  in  different 
sections  of  the  country,  been  more  or  less  moulded, 
biased  and  warped  by  the  effects,  or  supposed  effects, 
which  the  policy  of  the  central  power  had  on  the 
material  interests  and  institutions  of  the  States.  Such 
examination,  not  impairing  the  strength  of  our  convic- 
tions, might  chasten  our  pride.  But  aside  from  the 
logic,  men  must  be  assumed  to  be  honest,  however  mis- 
guided, who  are  ready  to  die  for  the  faith  that  is  in 
them. 

But  not  dwelling  upon  causes,  but  comparing  the 
conduct  of  the  war  with  that  of  the  Revolution,  I  do 
not  hesitate  to  say  that  in  the  loyalty  and  devotion  of 
the  people  to  country  ;  in  the  readiness  to  sacrifice 
property,  health,  and  life  for  her  safety  ;  in  the  temper 
and  spirit  in  which  the  war  was  carried  on  ;  in  the 
supply  of  resources  to  the  army,  men  as  well  as  money ; 
in  the  blessed  ministrations  of  woman  to  the  sick, 
wounded,  or  dying  soldier  ;  in  the  courage  and  pluck 
evinced  on  both  sides  ;  in  the  magnanimity  and  forbear- 
ance of  the  victors,  the  history  of  the  late  war  shows 


78  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

no  touch  of  degeneracy,    shows,   indeed,   a  century  of 
progress. 

If  its  peculations  and  corruptions  were  more  con- 
spicuous, it  was  because  of  the  vaster  amounts  expended 
and  the  vastly  greater  opportunities  and  temptations  to 
avarice  and  fraud.  The  recently  published  letters  of 
Col.  Pickering  furnish  additional  evidence  of  the  frauds 
and  peculations  in  the  supplies  to  the  armies  of  the 
Revolution  and  of  the  neglect  of  the  States  to  provide 
food  and  clothing  for  the  soldiers,  when  many  of  the 
people,  for  whose  liberties  they  were  struggling,  were 
living  in  comparative  ease  and  luxury.  The  world 
moves. 

There  is  one  criterion  of  which  I  cannot  forbear  to 
speak,  the  conduct  of  the  soldiers  of  the  late  war  upon 
the  return  of  peace  ;  how  quietly  and  contentedly  they 
came  back  from  the  excitements  of  the  battle-field  and 
camp  to  the  quiet  of  home  life,  and  to  all  the  duties  of 
citizenship  ;  with  a  coat,  perhaps,  where  one  sleeve  was 
useless,  with  a  leg  that  had  a  crutch  for  comrade,  but 
with  the  heart  always  in  the  right  place  ! 

The  burdens  of  the  war  are  yet  with  us  ;  the  vast 
debt  created,  these  heavy  taxes  consuming  the  very 
seed  of  future  harvests  ;  the  vacant  seats  at  the  fireside. 
Fifteen  years,  and  half  a  generation  of  men,  have 
passed  away  since  the  conflict  of  opinion  ripened  into 
the  conflict  of  arms.  They  have  been  years  of  terrible 
anxiety  and  of  the  sickness  of  hope  deferred  ;  yet  if 
their  record  could  be  blotted  from  the  book  of  life,  if 
the  grave  could  give   up   its    noble  dead,  and  all  the 


ORATION.  79 

waste  spots,  moral  and  material,  resume  the  verdure 
of  the  spring-time,  no  one  of  us  would  return  to 
the  state  of  things  in  1860,  with  the  curse  of  slavery 
hanging  over  us  and  the  fires  of  discord  smouldering 
beneath  us.  The  root  of  alienation,  bitterness,  and  hate 
has  been  wrenched  out,  and  henceforth  union  and  peace 
are  at  least  possible. 

We  have  no  right,  the  Roman  moralist  would  tell  us, 
and  no  cause,  to  despair  of  the  republic. 

The  elements  of  material  prosperit}^  are  all  with  us  ; 
this  magnificent  country,  resonant  with  the  murmurs  of 
two  oceans,  with  every  variety  of  soil,  climate,  and 
production  to  satisfy  the  tastes  or  wants  of  man  ;  with 
its  millions  of  acres  of  new  lands  beckoning  for  the 
plough  and  spade  ;  with  its  mountains  of  coal  and  iron 
and  copper,  and  its  veins  of  silver  and  gold  waiting  like 
Enceladus  to  be  delivered  ;  its  lakes,  inland  seas  ;  its 
rivers  the  highways  of  nations.  We  have  bound  its 
most  distant  parts  together  with  bands  of  iron  and 
steel  ;  we  have  answered  the  question  of  Job  ;  we  send 
the  lightnings  over  it  "  that  they  may  go,  and  say 
unto  us.  Here  we  are." 

We  have  all  the  tools  of  the  industries  and  arts  which 
the  cunning  brain  of  man  has  invented  and  his  supple 
fingers  learned  to  use,  and  abundant  capital,  the 
reserved  fruits  of  labor,  seeking  a  chance  for  planting 
and  increase. 

The  means  of  intellectual  growth  are  with  us.  We 
have  in  most  of  the  States  systems  of  education  open- 
ing to  every  child  the  paths  to  knowledge  and  to  good- 


80  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

ness  ;  destined,  we  hope,  to  be  universal.  And  he  who 
in  our  day  has  learned  to  read  in  his  mother-tongue 
may  be  said  to  have  all  knowledge  for  his  empire. 

And  our  laws,  though  by  no  means  perfect,  were 
never  so  wise,  equal,  and  just  as  now  ;  never  so  infused 
with  the  principles  of  natural  justice  and  equity,  as  to- 
day. Indeed,  in  no  department  of  human  thought  and 
activity  has  there  been  in  the  last  century  more  intelli- 
gent progress  than  in  our  jurisprudence. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  creeds  and  formulas  of 
faith,  there  never  was  so  much  practical  Christianity  as 
now  ;  as  to  wealth,  so  large  a  sense  of  stewardship  ;  as 
to  labor,  so  high  a  recognition  of  its  rights  and  dignity ; 
into  the  wounds  of  suffering  humanity  never  the  pour- 
ing of  so  much  oil  and  wine  ;  never  was  man  as  man, 
or  woman  as  woman,  of  such  worth  as  to-day. 

In  spite  of  criticism  we  have  yet  the  example  and 
inspiration  of  that  life  in  which  the  human  and  the 
divine  were  blended  into  one. 

In  spite  of  philosophy,  God  yet  sits  serenely  on  his 
throne,  his  watchful  providence  over  us,  his  almighty 
arm  beneath  us  and  upholding  us. 

For  an  hundred  years  this  nation,  having  in  trust  the 
largest  hopes  of  freedom  and  humanity,  has  endured. 
There  have  been  whirlwind  and  tempest;  "it  has  mas- 
tered them,  bending  only  as  Landor  says  the  oak  bends 
before  the  passing  wind,  to  rise  again  in  its  majesty  and 
in  its  strength."  It  has  come  out  of  the  fiery  furnace  of 
civil  war,  its  seemingly  mortal  plague-spot  cauterized 
and    burned    out,    leaving    for    us    to-day   a   republic 


ORATION.  81 

capable  of  almost  infinite  expansion,  in  which  central 
jDOwer  may  be  reconciled  with  local  independence,  and 
the  largest  liberty  with  the  firmest  order. 

Stanch,  with  every  sail  set,  her  flag  with  no  star 
erased,  this  goodly  Ship  of  State  floats  on  the  bosom  of 
the  new  century. 

In  her  we  "  have  garnered  up  our  hearts,  where  we 
must  either  live  or  bear  no  life." 

And  now,  God  of  our  fathers,  what  wait  we  for  but 
thy  blessing  ?  Let  thy  breath  fill  her  sails,  thy  presence 
be  her  sunshine.  If  darkness  and  -the  tempest  come, 
give  her,  as  of  old,  pilots  that  can  weather  the  storm. 


11 


PEOOESSIOJ^S,  DECOEATIONS 


ILLUMINATIONS. 


PROCESSIONS 


FoK  some  days  before  the  Fourth  of  July,  signs  of  prepara- 
tion for  the  Centennial  Anniversary  were  abundant.  Bunting 
hang  in  festoons  here  and  tliere  on  the  fronts  of  Main  street 
buildings,  and  other  forms  of  decoration  were  occasionally  seen. 
The  dry  goods  dealers  tempted  their  customers  with  a  liberal 
display  of  the  national  colors  in  bunting  and  other  fabrics,  and 
there  was  a  brisk  trade  in  colored  lanterns  and  other  illumi- 
nating devices.  Little  other  business,  in  fact,  was  done  for  a  week 
before  the  day  than  that  which,  in  one  way  or  another,  concerned 
the  preparations  for  the  grand  display.  Taste  and  invention 
were  tasked  to  devise  and  skilful  hands  to  execute  the  varied 
forms  of  decoration  demanded  for  buildino-s  and  p-rounds  and  for 
the  elaborate  pageant  of  the  processions.  The  means  of  making 
exultant  patriotic  and  other  noises  were,  of  course,  provided  in 
abundance. 

The  first  stroke  of  midnight  was  the  signal  for  a  general  out- 
burst of  explosive  patriotism,  to  which  every  sound-producing 
instrument  yet  devised  by  man  contributed.  This,  however,  was 
unorganized  and  desultory  jubilation.  At  sunrise  the  systematic 
ringing  of  bells  and  cannon  firing  began.  At  about  the  same 
time,  or  soon  after,  the  parade  of  the  "  Studlefunk  Brigade " 
took  place.  This  was  a  succession  of  grotesque  representations, 
many  of  them  with  a  satirical  purpose  and  showing  much  humor 
in  the  design  and  considerable  skill  in  execution.  This  beginning 
of  the  day's  festivities  brought  out  great  numbers  of  the  people, 
and  the  streets  were  crowded  with  amused  and  applauding 
throngs. 

The  most  notable  event  of  the  day  after  the  Concert  of  the 
Pupils  of  the  Public  Schools,  in  the  great  tent  on  the   Common, 


86  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

at  T.45  A.  M.,  was  the  Military  and  Civic  Procession,  which  took 
np  its  line  of  March  through  Main  street  to  Wellington  street 
and  via  Wellington,  Chandler,  Irving,  Pleasant,  Ashland,  Elm, 
Oak,  Cedar,  Chestnut,  Bowdoin,  Harvard,  Highland  and  Main 
streets  to  Mechanics  Hall,  and  after  leaving  the  City  Government 
at  the  Hall,  through  Main  and  Park  streets  to  Salem  square,  in 
the  following  order : — 

Detachment  of  Mounted  Police,  nnder  command  of  Joseph  M.  Dyson. 
Chief  Marshal,   GENERAL  JOSIAH  PICKETT. 

Chief  of  Staff,  Major  E.  T.  Raymond. 

Aids,  Gen.  A.  B.  R.  Sprague,  Aids,  Gen.  William  S.  Lincoln, 
Gen.  Arthur  A.  Goodell,  Gen.  D.  D.  Wiley, 

Surgeon  J.  Marcus  Rice,  Major  L.  G.  White, 

Capt.  T.  S.  Johnson,  Capt.  C.  S.  Chapin, 

Capt.  David  M.  Earle,  Lieut.  W.  B.  Harding, 

Aids,  Sergt.  Harlan  Fairbanks,  Aids,  Dr.  Napoleon  Jacques, 
Henry  A.  Marsh,  R.  M,  Gould, 

Dr.  F.  J.  McNulty,  John  N.  Morse,  Jr. 

Stephen  Salisbury,  Jr.  Albert  A.  Lovell. 

Henry  M.  Witter, 


FIRST    DIVISION. 

Worcester  Brass  Band,  T.  C.  Richardson,  leader,  21  pieces. 

Marshal,  General  Robert  H.  Chamberlain. 

Assistant  Marshals,  Colonel  J.  M.  Drennan,  Captain  W.  S.  Lincoln, 
Lieutenant  D.  F.  Parker. 

Worcester  Light  Infantry,  Captain  Levi  Lincoln,  commanding,  36  men. 

Worcester  City  Guards,  Lieutenant  E.  R.  Shumway,   commanding,   35   men. 

City  Government,  Orator  of  the  Day,  and  Invited  Guests,  in  15  carriages. 

Fifth  Battery  Light  Artillery,   Captain  J.   G.   Rice,  commanding,  8    guns, 

54  men. 


PROCESSIONS.  87 

SECOND    DIVISION. 

French  Band,  P.  H.  A.  Baribeault,  leader,  21  pieces. 
Marshal,  Major  Xathan  Taylor. 

Assistant  Marshals,  Lieutenant  C.  N.  Hair,  Dana  K.  Fitch,  Lieutenant 
George  W.  Brady. 

Worcester  Continentals,  Colonel  W.  S.  B.  Hopkins,  commanding,  83  men.* 

Johnson's  Drum  Corps,  13  pieces. 

Post  10,  G.  A.  R.,  Commander  J.  B.  Lamb,  commanding,  86  men. 

St.  Jean  Baptiste  Society. — President,  Joseph  Marchessault ;  Vice-President, 

Urgele  Jacques ;    2d  Vice-President,  Louis  Verner ;   Recording 

Secretary,  A.  Faucher ;   Treasurer,  Narcise  Boulax, 

180  men. 

St.  Andrew's  Society. — President,   William  Finlay;    Vice-President,  James 

Little ;    Recording  Secretary,   William  McKenzie ;    Treasurer, 

John   Provan ;    Marshal,    George   B.    Grasse ; 

Standard  Bearers,  John  Harning, 

George  Weir,  75  men. 

THIRD    DIVISION. 

Father  Mathew  Temperance  Band,  J.  B.  Waters,  leader,  23  pieces. 
Marshal,  Andrew  Athy,  Esq. 

Assistant  Marshals,  John  J.  O'Gorman,  Lieutenant  James  Cullen,  Captain 
Geo.  B.  Chandley,    Wm.  Hickey. 

Sarsfield  Guards,  Captain  M.  H.  Murphy,  commanding,  36  men. 

Father  Mathew  Temperance    Society. — President,  James  H.  Mellen;  Vice- 
President,   Patrick   C.    Conlin;    Recording   Secretary,   Patrick 
O'Connor ;  Treasurer,  Timothy  Murphy,  190  men. 

Father  Mathew  Temperance  Cadets. — Captain,  James  Doyle;  Lieutenant, 
James  Mahoney,  80  boys. 

Irish    Catholic    Benevolent    Society.— President,    John    L.    Murphy;    Vice- 
President,  William  Kickham  ;  Recording  Secretary,  John  Timou ; 
Treasurer,  Jeremiah  Murphy,  120  men. 

Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. — Division  No.  1 :  President,  John  J.  O'Gorman: 

Vice-President,  Stephen  Haggerty ;   Recording  Secretary,  Andrew 

O'Leary ;  Treasurer,  Phillip  Moore,  200  men. 


*"The  Worcester  Continentals,"  an  independent  military  organization,  made  tlieir  first  appear- 
ance in  public  on  this  occasion,  Their  uniform  was  in  the  style  of  that  of  the  oflBicers  of  the  Conti- 
nental army  in  the  Kevolution. 


88  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

Division  No.  2  :  President,  Andrew  Athy  ;  Vice-President,  Richard  Mattliews ; 
Recording  Secretar}',  John  Landers ;  Treasurer,  William 
Collins,  150  men. 

Division  No.   3 :    President,   John  Kelley ;    Vice-President,   Bartley  Lavin ; 

Recording  Secretary,  Dorainick  Lavin;  Treasurer,  John  Moore, 

130  men. 

FOURTH     DIVISION. 

Worcester  National  Band,  A.  W.  Ingraham,  leader,  20  pieces. 

Marshal,  Alzirus  Brown,  Esq. 

Assistant  Marshals,  S.  M.  Richardson,  R.  J.  Tatman,  John  Lagassy. 

Worcester  Fire  Department. — Chief  Engineer,    Simon  E.  Combs,  mounted ; 

Assistant  Engineers,  William  Brophy,  John  W.  Loring, 

Samuel  H.  Day,  G.  N.  Rawson. 

Steamer  Old  Governor  Lincoln.     4  horses,   12  men,  ex-members  of  the 
Company,  under  command  of  Phineas  Guild. 

Steamer  Governor  Lincoln  Hose  Carriage,  2  horses. 

Steamer  Governor  Lincoln,  No.  1,  4  horses,  12  men;    Charles  Allen,  foreman. 

Hook  and  Ladder  John  W.  Loring,  No.  1,    4  horses,  20  men ;    P.  L.  Church, 

foreman. 

City  Hose,  No.  1,  2  horses,  10  men;    Henry  E.  Robbins,  foreman. 

Protector  Hose,   No.   7,   2  horses,  10  men ;    Samuel  Barnes,  foreman. 

Steamer  Fire  King,  No.  3,  4  horses. 

Mount  Vernon  Hose,  No.  8,  2  horses,   10  men;    J.  H.  Townsend,  foreman. 

Ocean  Hose,  No.  2,  2  horses,  10  men;  David  Boland,  foreman. 

Steamer  S.  E.  Combs,  No.  2  Hose  Carriage,  2  horses. 

Steamer  S.  E.  Combs,  No.  2,  4  horses,  12  men ;   M.  C.  Viall,  foreman. 

Niagara  Hose,  No.  4,  2  horses,  10  men ;   V.  A.  Lonsby,  foreman. 

Steamer  Rapid,  No  4  Hose  Carriage,  2  horses. 

Steamer  Rapid,  No.   4,   4  horses,   12  men ;   George  W.  Dickinson,  foreman. 

Relief  Hook  and  Ladder,  No.  3,  4  horses. 

Fire  Patrol,  4  horses,  8  men ;  Hiram  Williamson,  foreman. 

Babcock    Extinguisher,  No.  1,   2  horses,   4  men;    O.   J.   Buzzell,  assistant 

foreman. 


PEOCESSIONS.  89 

Eagle  Hose  Company,  No.  3,  2  horses,  10  men;  E.  J.  Fogerty,  foreman. 
Steamer  A.  B.  Lovell  Hose  Carriage,  2  horses. 

Steamer  A.  B.  Lovell,  No.  3,  4  horses,  10  men;  E.  J.  Watson,  foreman. 
Yankee  Hose  Company,    No.  5,   2  horses,    10  men ;    Joseph  Bolio,  foreman. 

Tiger  Hose  Company,  No.  6,  1  horse,  10  men,  Geo.  S.  Coleman,  foreman. 
Hook  and  Ladder  No.  2,  4  horses,  20  men ;    Jeremiah  Hennessy,  foreman. 

In  the  line  were  over  1,000  men,  and  their  general  appearance 
was  much  admired. 


The  next,  and  the  most  brilliant  and  attractive  display  of  all, 
was  the  "  Trades  Procession,"  which  name  is  not  comprehensive 
enough  to  include  all  its  features,  though  it  fairly  describes  its 
general  character.  It  was  admirably  organized,  and  in  its  details 
gave  either  a  suggestion  or  an  elaborate  representation  of  nearly 
every  kind  of  business,  except  those  commonly  called  pro- 
fessional, carried  on-  in  the  city.  The  great  length  of  the  proces- 
sion, the  variety  of  its  constituents,  the  display  of  gay  colors  and 
brilliant  metal  and  the  ino;enious  and  effective  desis^ns,  wrouo:ht 
out  with  a  patience  and  skill  seldom  devoted  to  the  elements  of  a 
single  day's  pageant,  made  it  a  series  of  admirable  and  satisfying 
spectacles.  The  route  of  this  procession  was  from  Lincoln 
square  to  Webster  square  and  back  again,  and  it  was  so  long  that 
its  head  had  made  two-thirds  of  the  return  march  when  the  rear 
had  traveled  only  one-third  of  the  distance  from  the  point  of 
departure.  In  the  line  were  413  teams  and  nearly  800  horses. 
This  procession  was  organized  in  eight  divisions,  each  of  which 
was  led  by  an  elaborately-decorated  car,  representing  some 
nation  of  those  from  which  the  inhabitants  of  Worcester  derive 
their  origin.     The  procession  moved  in  the  following  order  : 

Detachment  of  Mounted  Police. 
Chief  Marshal,  Gen.  Josiah  Pickett,  and  his  Staff. 
Escort :  • 

Battalion  of  Mounted  Butchers,  Charles  Belcher,  commanding.     162  men. 
12 


90  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

FIRST    DIVISION. 

The  First  Division  was  composed  cliiefly  of  representative  dis- 
plays of  workers  in  metals  and  machinery,  General  K.  H. 
Chamberlain,  marshal ;  Col.  J.  M.  Drennan,  Capt.  W.  S.  Lincoln, 
Capt.  John  G.  Rice,  assistant  marshals.  Worcester  Brass  Band, 
21  pieces,  T.  C.  Richardson,  leader. 

EMBLEM, —AMERICA. 

The  car  was  in  the  form  of  a  chariot,  which  was  twenty  feet 
long,  twelve  feet  wide  and  seventeen  feet  high.  The  sides,  the 
tops  of  which  were  seven  feet  from  the  ground,  were  heavily 
festooned  with  red,  white  and  blue,  with  white  and  maroon  for 
a  background.  A  canopy  of  red,  white  and  blue  and  national 
flao:s  covered  the  car,  beino;  semi-circular  in  form  at  the  rear. 
On  the  sides,  hung  at  the  gatherings  of  the  festoons,  were  six 
large  shields  bearing  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  United  States. 
Under  the  semi-circular  section  of  the  canopy,  seated  on  a 
raised  platform,  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  was  a  young  lady. 
Miss  Kinney,  representing  the  United  States.  She  wore  a 
Roman  toga,  ornamented  with  stars  of  gold,  and  upon  her  head 
was  a  helmet  of  white  silk  velvet  of  unique  design,  ornamented 
with  golden  stars.  The  national  colors  enveloped  her  dress 
below  the  toga,  and  fell  in  graceful  folds  upon  the  platform 
on  which  she  was  seated.  Below,  overlooked  by  the  central 
figure,  were  seated  thirteen  young  ladies  dressed  in  white  and 
wearing  wreaths  of  laurel,  representing  the  thirteen  original 
Colonies.  The  representatives  of  the  Colonies  were  Misses  Mary 
P.  Matoon,  Minnie  W,  Tarbell,  Isabel  J.  Gibbs,  Ella  L.  Taft, 
Mary  E.  Drennan,  Mary  G.  Messenger,  Emma  L.  Sutton,  Stella 
G.  Alton,  Anna  M.  Rice,  Mary  E.  Sherman,  Lizzie  F.  Daniels, 
Louisa  M.  Gunderson,  Julia  R.  Walker. 

Each  of  these  young  ladies  supported  a  shield  upon  which  the 
name  of  the  Colony  she  represented  was  painted  in  ornamental 
letters.  On  one  side  of  the  central  figure  was  a  large  shield  of 
the  United  States,  and  on  the  other  was  a  sword  and  American 
eagle.  The  whole  was  drawn  by  six  handsome  gray  horses.  Six 
Continentals,  mounted,  acted  as  escort  to  the  car. 


PROCESSIONS.  91 

SECOND     DIVISION. 

The  Second  Division  comprised  chiefly  representatives  of  the 
furniture,  book,  harness,  trunk  and  musical  instrument  trades 
and  hatters.  Major  Nathan  Taylor,  marshal ;  Lieut.  Chas.  N. 
Hair,  Lieut.  George  W.  Brady,  Dana  K.  Fitch,  assistant  marshals. 
French  Band,  24  pieces,  in  a  carriage. 

EMBLEM, — FRANCE. 

The  car,  twenty-two  feet  long  and  ten  wi'de,  was  drawn  by  six 
horses,  ridden  by  knights  in  glittering  mail.  In  the  centre,  was 
a  large  canopy,  trimmed  with  evergreen  and  gold  fringe.  At 
the  front  was  a  pictorial  design  of  the  Bell  of  Liberty,  flanked 
on  either  side  by  a  French  Zouave  and  an  American  soldier. 
Perched  on  the  top  of  the  bell  were  the  white  monarchical  flag 
of  France  in  1776,  and  the  American  flag  with  thirteen  stars. 
Between  the  flags  was  a  shield,  with  the  inscription,  "  Les  sons  de 
la  cloche  de  la  Liberte  ont  ete  entendus  par  la  France," — the  peals 
of  the  liberty  bell  have  been  heard  by  France.  The  design  at  the 
end  of  the  car  was  a  trophy  of  flags,  with  shields,  inscribed, 
"  The  friendship  of  France  and  America  has  been  continuous  for 
a  century.  May  it  last  forever."  On  the  top  of  the  canopy 
columns  were,  the  French  tricolor  and  American  flags,  with 
shields  bearing  the  names  of  McMahon  and  Grant.  Around  the 
bottom  of  the  platform  was  a  rich  tricolor  drapery,  covered  with 
shields,  on  which  were  inscribed  Marion,  De  Grasse,  Rocham- 
beau,  D'Estaing,  Brandywine,  Yorktown;  Longfellow  and 
Victor  Hugo,  poets  ;  Powers  and  Bartholdi,  arts  ;  De  Tocque- 
ville  and  Claudio  Jamet,  historians.  In  the  canopy  facing  to  the 
front  was  a  goddess  (Miss  C.  Lacroix),  dressed  in  white  satin, 
holding  a  white  flag — le  drapeau  fleurdelise — in  one  hand  ;  and 
in  the  other,  resting  on  the  cushion,  was  a  diadem.  In  front,  to 
the  right,  stood  Lafayette  (Henry  Escousse),  dressed  in  a  conti- 
nental suit  of  blue  satin.  On  the  left  stood  Washington  (Cyrille 
Paquette),  dressed  in  a  black  velvet  suit,  richly  ornamented  with 
beads,  a  fac-simile  of  the  suit  worn  at  Lady  Washington's 
receptions.  Over  their  heads  was  a  shield,  inscribed  ''  Washing- 
ton, Lafayette,"  and  the  flags  of  monarchical  France  and  of 
America.     Over  all  of  this  representation  of  the  revolutionary 


92  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

period,  showing  the  friendship  of  the  two  countries,  waved  the 
French  white  and  American  flags,  while  the  date,  1776,  indicated 
the  date  of  the  event.  The  rear  half  of  the  car  was  devoted  to 
a  representation  of  1876. 

In  the  canopy  facing  the  end  of  the  wagon  was  a  French 
Goddess  of  Liberty  (Miss  A.  Lacoste),  dressed  in  blue  satin,  and 
holding  the  French  tricolor.  Facing  her  on  one  side  was  a 
French  Zouave,  and  on  the  other  an  American  infantry-man, 
represented  respectively  by  Leon  Robert  and  John  B.  Lepire, 
each  bearing  the  flag  of  his  country.  Two  soldiers,  one  of  each 
nation,  were  also  represented  by  MM.  E.  Pleau  and  H.  St. 
George.  The  guard  of  honor  consisted  of  six  mounted  pages, 
dressed  in  a  brilliant  costume  of  the  sixteenth  centurj^,  with 
feathered  caps  and  capes  of  maroon  velvet,  with  white  satin 
puifs.  They  each  carried  a  small  banner  of  red,  white  and  blue, 
with  gold  fringe.  In  the  corners  were  1776  and  1876,  while 
suitable  mottoes  were  inscribed  in  the  centre.  The  pages  were 
Dr.  Louis  Yerner,  L.  A.  Letourneau,  Frank  A.  Payan,  H.  M. 
Couture,  K.  P.  Huot  and  A.  Charbonneau. 

The  drapery  and  general  decoration  of  the  car  were  tasteful 
and  elaborate,  and  reflected  much  credit  upon  the  following 
committee,  named  at  a  meeting  of  the  French  residents  of  this 
city,  to  whom  had  been  oifered  the  honor  of  representing  France, 
their  mother  country  :  Ferd.  Gagnon,  president ;  Leon  Robert, 
John  J.B.  Primeau,  Dr.  N.  Jacques,  Dr.  L.  Yeruer,  A.  G. 
Lalime,  Wm.  Arrouquier,  A.  Charbonneau,  P.  Langlois,  Henry 
Escousse,  A.  Belisle  and  L.  A.  Letourneau.  The  committee 
followed  the  car  in  two  carriaires. 

I 

THIRD    DIYISION. 

The  Third  Division  contained  the  display  of   the  makers  of 
farming   tools    and    machinery,    milkmen,    florists   and   farmers. 
•  Charles  B.  Pratt,  marshal;  Waldo  E.  Sessons,  Jolm  S.  Brigliam, 
George  A.  Barnard,  assistant  marshals. 

EMBLEM, — FLORA. 

The  goddess  and  her  two  attendant  priestesses,  were  repre- 
sented in  a  Roman  triumphal  car,    with   Roman  costumes  and 


PROCESSIONS.  93 

decorations.  They  were  surrounded  by  the  four  seasons,  each 
with  two  attendants,  forming  a  group  of  twelve,  appropriate  to 
the  months  of  the  year.  The  palms  and  other  tropical  plants 
which  were  used  in  adorning  the  car  were  beautiful,  one 
gorgeous  palm,  which  crowned  the  whole,  being  nine  feet  high, 
and  the  leaves  a  yard  across.  The  shape  of  the  car  was  oval, 
with  pedestal  in  the  centre,  and  the  gilding  and  painting  was  very 
rich  and  elaborate.  It  was  decorated  with  several  Latin  mottoes, 
followino;  a  common  Italian  custom.  The  work  of  arrano^ino- 
this  emblem  devolved  on  Mr.  John  G.  Hey  wood  and  S.  Salis- 
bury, Jr.,  who  were  assisted  by  Messrs.  Thomas  O.  Alexander 
and  Eugene  Hilton,  who  did  the  painting  and  gilding ;  and  by 
Messrs.  John  Coulson  and  Thomas  Murphy,  gardeners  for 
Messrs.  Salisbury  and  Hey  wood,  who  assisted  in  the  floral  work, 
the  plants  being  furnished  from  the  greenhouses  of  Mr.  Salis- 
bury. The  parts  were  taken  by  fifteen  young  ladies  of  the  High 
School.  Miss  Jennie  B.  Willard  was  Flora,  and  her  companions 
were  Misses  Abbie  F.  Wood,  Hattie  G.  Gates,  F.  Josie  Kinsley, 
Emma  F.  Dearborn,  Emma  Goddard,  Effie  M.  Riley,  Ginevra  J. 
Lawler,  Mary  J.  Walker,  Mary  L.  Fifield,  Minnie  Rawson, 
Carrie  E.  Griggs,  M.  Gertrude  Griggs,  Abbie  L.  Stearns,  and 
Florence  A.  Gates. 

FOURTH     DIVISION. 

The  Fourth  Division  contained  representatives  of  the  grocers 
and  provision  dealers,  bakers,  confectioners  and  liquor  dealers. 
Colonel  J.  A.  Titus,  marshal;  Capt.  George  M.  Woodward,  Lieut. 
E.  W.  Wellington,  Capt.  William  McCready,  assistant  marshals. 

EMBLEM, — SCOTLAND. 

The  car  representing  Scotland  was  18  feet  long  and  8  feet 
wide,  and  was  drawn  by  four  black  horses,  ridden  by  two  post- 
illions in  Highland  costume.  The  frame- work  consisted  of  four 
columns,  one  at  each  corner  of  the  platform.  Springing  from 
the  tops  of  the  columns  were  four  graceful  ogee  braces, 
reaching  to  the  top  of  an  elevated  central  column,  on  which 
was  a  platform  three  feet  in  diameter,  where  stood  a  blooming 
Scotch  thistle,  five  feet  high.  Springing  from  this  platform  were 
arches,    over-topping   the   thistle,  with    the    old   defiant  motto^ 


94  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

"  JS'emo  ine  impune  lacessit^^  translated  on  the  opposite  side  as 
"  Touch  me  not  with  impunity."  Tlie  ends  were  finished  with 
half-circle  arches,  St.  Andrew's  Cross  filling  the  space  from  the 
bottom  edge  of  the  front  arch  to  a  brace  across  the  top  of  the 
corner  columns.  The  cross  was  handsomely  decorated  with 
spines  of  the  thistle  in  full  bloom.  On  the  top  of  the  front  arch, 
over  the  cross,  was  a  large  bunch  of  blooming  heather,  imported 
from  Scotland.  On  the  rear  arch,  the  space  was  filled  by  an  oval 
frame,  containing  a  suspended  floral  crown. 

The  front  arch  bore  the  inscription,  "  From  the  heath-covered 
mountains  of  Scotland  we  come."  On  the  rear  arch,  "  Here's  a 
health,  bonnie  Scotland,  to  thee."  The  side  rails,  from  front  to 
rear  columns,  were  decorated  with  a  box  plaiting  of  royal  Stuart 
plaid  ribbon,  nine  inches  wide,  over  which  was  festooned  a  heavy 
gold  bullion  fringe,  four  inches  wide.  The  bottoms  of  the  front 
and  rear  arches  were  trimmed  similarly.  A  deck,  the  whole 
length  on  each  side  of  the  car,  was  suspended  four  feet  below 
the  platform,  on  which  rode  the  guard  of  honor.  The  back- 
ground of  the  lower  decorations  was  of  red  and  blue  ;  over  this, 
and  entwined  at  every  point  possible,  the  trimmings  were  of 
Scotch  plaids  of  the  clans  Gordon,  Argyle,  McGregor,  Forbes 
and  royal  Stuart.  Shields,  flags  and  flowers  put  on  tlie  finishing 
touches  to  the  decorations. 

Nine  characters  were  presented :  Sir  William  Wallace  by  J. 
McGregor  Smith,  and  Robert  Bruce  by  J.  L.  Scott,  representing 
national  independence,  were  clad  in  armor,  Wallace  bearing  a 
claymore,  and  Bruce  a  battle  axe.  The  shield  of  the  former  was 
inscribed,  "  Scots,  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled,"  and  of  the  latter, 
*'  Scots,  wham  Bruce  hath  aften  led."  Poetry  was  represented 
by  Robert  Burns  (Alexander  Thomson),  and  Sir  Walter  Scott 
(William  Finlay).  Burns  was  standing  at  the  plough,  dressed  in 
tlie  antique  ploughman's  suit  of  his  day,  and  over  him  stood 
*'  Colia  "  (Miss  Jennie  B.  Weir),  dressed  in  white,  with  a  royal 
Stuart  tartan  sash  across  her  shoulder,  and  on  her  head  a  wreath 
of  holly,  placing  a  mantle  of  Gordon  tartan  on  his  shoulders. 
The  idea  presented  was  taken  from  the  poet's  own  words,  "  The 
Poetic  Genius  of  my  country  found  me  as  the  prophet  bard  Elijah 
did  Elisha  at  the  plough,   and  threw   her  inspiring  mantle  over 


PROCESSIONS.  95 

me."  On  the  plough  was  the  motto,  "  A  man's  a  man  for  a' 
that."  Sir  Walter  Scott  was  dressed  in  a  gray  tweed  suit,  with 
a  shepherd's  plaid  thrown  over  his  shoulders  and  a  Kilmarnock 
bonnet  on  his  head.  A  handsome  pointer  dog  lay  at  his  side. 
On  his  shield  was  the  inscription,  "  This  is  my  own,  my  native 
land."  Mechanical  industry  was  represented  in  James  Watt,  by 
John  Speirs.  He  was  dressed  as  a  mechanic,  with  paper  cap. 
At  his .  side  stood  a  painting  representing  a  fire-place  with  a 
boiling  tea-kettle,  steam  rushing  from  its  spout ;  also  a  small 
steam  engine.  His  shield  was  inscribed,  "  The  first  conception 
of  steam  power.     James  Watt,  1760." 

The  next  character  was  John  Knox,  the  Presbyterian  minister, 
the  founder  of  parochial  schools  and  religious  emancipation.  He 
was  represented  by  Hugh  Brown,  who  was  dressed  in  a  clergy- 
man's garb  of  1560,  standing  at  a  desk.  The  inscription  on 
his  shield  was,  "  John  Knox,  1560.  I  stipulate  that  the  People 
be  Educated."  At  the  front  of  the  car  stood  Alex.  Buchanan, 
piper  of  the  Boston  Caledonian  Club,  in  full  costume,  entertain- 
ing all  hearts  with  Scotch  airs.  At  the  rear  of  the  car  stood  ex- 
Chief  Wm.  Grant,  of  the  Boston  club,  in  an  elegant  Highland 
costume,  representing  a  modern  Highlander.  Master  James  W. 
Thomson  acted  as  page,  dressed  in  full  Highland  costume. 

The  guard  of  honor  to  the  car  was  a  delegation  of  chieftains  and 
clansmen  from  the  Boston  Caledonian  Club,  dressed  in  fiill  High- 
land costume,  viz  :  Munroe  Boss  and  Robert  Barnes,  with  battle- 
axes  ;  Hugh  Sinclair  and  John  Adam,  standard  bearers  ;  James  B. 
Hill  and  James  Johnstone,  with  claymores.  The  committee, 
accompanied  by  Chief  J.  G.  McCormick,  of  Boston,  and  G.  B. 
Grassie,  of  Bolton,  the  two  latter  dressed  in  magnificent  High- 
land costumes,  followed  the  car  in  open  barouches.  The  car  was 
constructed  and  decorated  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the 
Worcester  St.  Andrew's  Benefit  Society,  consisting  of  the 
following  gentlemen :  Wm.  McKenzie,  chairman ;  Thomas 
Provan,  George  Weir,  James  Speirs,  John  Haining,  Hugh 
Brown,  treasurer  ;  and  John  W.  Dobbie,  secretary. 


96  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

FIFTH     DIVISION. 

The  Fifth  Division  comprised  representatives  of  the  bnsiness 
in  coal,  stone  and  ice.  Andrew  Athy,  marshal ;  J.  J.  O'Gorman, 
Capt.  George  B.  Chandley,  Lieut.  James  Cullen,  William  Hickej, 
assistant  marshals.  Father  Mathew  Temperance  Band,  in  a 
carriage. 

EMBLEM, — IRELAND. 

The  car  representing  Ireland  was  preceded  by  a  procession  of 
ancient  Irish  kings,  chieftains  and  warriors,  in  the  following 
order :  Gallowghiss  chieftain,  in  green  and  gold  tunic,  saffron 
trunks  and  hose,  carrying  an  ancient  battle-axe  (Timothy  Cronin); 
three  trumpeters,  in  costumes  of  tlie  regiment  of  Lord  Clare,  of 
the  Irish  brigade  which  took  part  in  the  Battle  of  Fontenoy, 
May  11,  1745 — Daniel  Savage,  John  Riorden,  John  P.  O'Con- 
nell;  King  Brian  Born,  as  he  appeared  when  leading  the  Irish  army 
to  battle  against  the  Danes,  at  Ciontarf,  near  Dublin,  on  Good 
Friday,  1014.  He  wore  a  crown  studded  with  precious  stones, 
safli'on-trimmed  tunic,  embroidered  witli  gold,  saffron  trunks  and 
hose,  red  sandals,  a  long,  flowing  mantle  of  green  velvet,  lined 
with  scarlet  satin,  trimmed  elaborately  with  bullion  and  adorned 
with  precious  stones,  holding  in  his  hand  the  royal  sceptre 
(Maurice  O'Flynn).  King's  pages :  Four  pages,  in  green  and 
gold — two  on  each  side — one  holding  the  horse's  bridle  and  the 
other  the  King's  mantle  (John  P.  O'Leary,  Bernard  O'Rourke, 
Patrick  McDermott,  J.  J.  Lynch) ;  four  Gallowglasses,  in  flowing 
cloaks  of  saffron  and  gold,  brass  helmets,  each  armed  with  a 
battle-axe  (James  Kelly,  Thomas  Finneran,  Patrick  Morrissy, 
Michael  Brown) ;  Standard  Bearer,  in  Gallowglass  costume, 
carrying  an  Irish  flag  (Eneas  Lombard) ;  Roderick  O'Connor, 
last  king  of  Ireland.  He  wore  a  crown  of  gold,  adorned  with  a 
plume  of  emerald  green,  a  richly-embroidered  tunic  of  green  and 
gold,  white  satin-spangled  tiglits,  an  embroidered  golden  harp  on 
his  breast  and  a  flowing  robe  of  white,  satin  (Jeremiah  F. 
Ilealey) ;  Guard  to  King — two  ancient  Fenians,  in  armor,  each 
carrying- pike  and  skein  (James  McGrath,  Patrick  Ilackett). 

The  car  was  drawn  by  six  horses,  each  horse  accompanied  by 
two  ancient    Irish    soldiers,  in    Gallowglass   costumes,  carrying 


PROCESSIONS.  97 

battle-axes,  represented  bj  John  Delany,  Thomas  Leahy,  M. 
Cronin,  John  O.  Toner,  John  Walsh,  Mark  Diiggan,  Patrick 
O'Hara,  Patrick  Casey,  Dennis  Hines.  The  car  was  twenty-two 
feet  in  length,  twelve  feet  in  width  and  fifteen  feet  high.  Hiber- 
nia  was  seated  on  a  raised  platform  in  the  centre  of  the  car,  be- 
neath a  canopy,  surmounted  by  an  Irish  flag ;  from  the  top  of  the 
canopy  a  streamer  extended  to  each  of  the  four  corner  posts  of  the 
car,  each  post  being  surmounted  by  an  Irish  flag.  Miss  Annie 
Condon,  representing  Hibernia,  was  splendidly  dressed  in  green, 
safii'on  and  gold,  with  a  crown  of  gold  set  with  emeralds.  She 
was  attended  by  four  young  ladies,  dressed  in  white,  with  green 
sashes  and  wreaths  upon  their  heads.  They  were  seated  on  a 
lower  platform,  on  each  side  of  Hibernia.  The  young  ladies' 
names  were  Miss  Julia  Mahoney,  Miss  Eliza  Fitzgerald,  Miss 
Maggie  E.  Kenney,  Miss  Mary  E.  Melavin.  At  the  feet  of 
Hibernia  was  seated  an  ancient  Irish  harper,  with  harp  in 
hand,  with  long,  flowing  white  hair  and  beard,  wine-colored  tunic, 
safii'on  hose  and  red  sandals  ;    represented  by  Michael  Murtagh. 

On  each  corner  of  the  car  stood  four  Irish  Chieftains,  clad  in 
glittering  armor,  with  helmets,  visors  and  drawn  swords,  each 
supporting  a  shield,  on  which  was  inscribed  the  name  of  one  of 
the  four  provinces  of  Ireland,  as  follows  :  Ulster,  Michael  Ford  ; 
Leinster,  Thomas  Sweeney  ;  Munster,  Maurice  Cronin  ;  Con- 
naught,  Kiernan  Murray.  In  the  centre  of  the  rear  of  the  car 
stood  an  ancient  Fenian  Chief,  in  charge  of  a  magnificent  Irish 
flag  (John  A.  Kelly). 

The  car  was  handsomely  decorated  with  the  national  colors  of 
the  United  States  and  of  Ireland,  intermingled  with  streamers  of 
green,  white  and  gold,  profusely  trimmed  with  evergreen  wreaths 
and  flowers.  From  the  platform  of  the  car  to  the  ground,  on 
red  drapery,  which  entirely  concealed  the  wheels  of  the  car, 
were  arranged  shields,  thirty-two  in  number,  designating  the 
thirty-two  counties  of  Ireland;  around  each  were  festoons  of  ever- 
green, and  between  these  were  festoons  of  red,  white  and  gold. 

Following  the  Emblem  Car,  was  an  Irish  Jaunting  Car,  on 
which  were  seated  four  venerable  Irish  gentlemen :  William 
Fitzgerald,  Henry  G.  Roche,  Michael  O'Hagan  and  James  Mc- 
Glinchy  ;  driven  by  Michael  Early. 

13 


98  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

The  committee  who  designed  and  had  charge  of  the  repre- 
sentation followed  in  a  carriage :  Frank  M.  Drennan,  John  L. 
Murphy,  John  Iveney  and  Matthew  O'Meara. 

The  geneml  management  of  the  representation  was  assumed 
by  delegates  from  the  Irish  societies  of  the  city,  of  which 
Patrick  C.  Conlin  was  chairman,  and  Kichard  OTlynn  secretary 
and  treasurer ;  valuable  assistance  being  rendered  by  the  citizens 
at  large. 

SIXTH    DIVISION. 

The  Sixth  Division  included  the  express  companies,  stables, 
city  teams,  water  carts,  &c.  Alzirus  Brown,  marshal;  Capt.  E. 
A.  Wood,  S.  M.  Richardson,  E-.  J.  Tatraan,  assistant  marshals. 

ElMBLEINI,  — ENGLAND . 

The  Car  of  England  in  the  procession  was  twenty  feet  in 
length  and  ten  feet  in  width,  the  general  design  being  in  the 
shape  of  a  ship,  to  represent  that  country's  vast  merchant  navy 
and  commerce.  In  the  centre,  seated  on  a  large,  solitary  rock, 
with  the  lion  crouched  at  her  feet,  was  Britannia  (Mrs.  James 
Pursey),  dressed  as  usually  represented  in  the  arts,  with  scale- 
armor  bust,  helmet,  &c.,  holding  in  her  right  hand  the  trident, 
her  left  resting  on  the  shield.  On  either  side  of  this  central 
figure  stood  a  British  soldier  (Mr.  Freeman),  and  sailor  (Mr.  C. 
W.  Walls),  on  projections  of  the  platform  of  the  car ;  and 
between  them  and  the  rock  were  placed  trophies  suitable  to 
each — that  behind  the  sailor  being  a  full-rigged  ship  with  all 
sails  set,  and  behind  the  soldier  a  cannon,  pile  of  shot,  &c. 
At  the  four  corners  of  the  car  were,  placed  the  principal  colonies 
of  England,  viz  :  Australia  (Mr.  Richard  Holt),  India  (Mr.  John 
Wood),  Canada  (Mr.  Henry  Cole),  West  Indies  (Mr.  Charles 
Nuttal) ;  beneath  each  of  which  was  a  shield,  inscribed  with  the 
coat  of  arms  of  the  colony,  the  costumes  of  the  figures  being  those 
worn  in  each  country.  Life-size  busts  of  Milton,  Byron,  Shakes- 
peare, and  Newton,  represented  literature  and  science, — these 
being  also  placed  at  the  corners  of  the  car,  and  facing  diagonally 
outwards.  On  the  projections  from  the  car,  by  the  side  of  each 
of  the  six  figures,  was  a  staff  eight  feet  higli,  surmounted  by  a 


PROCESSIONS.  99 

gold  spear-head,  supporting  a  banner  of  white  and  gold,  bearing 
the  name  of  the  colony  or  profession  in  scarlet.  In  the  rear  end 
of  the  car  was  a  blacksmith  (Mr.  R.  Hoyle),  with  anvil,  hammer, 
&c.,  representing  the  mechanical  arts. 

The  decorations  and  trimmings  were  mainly  scarlet — the  Eng- 
lish color.  The  body  of  the  car  was  box-plaited  to  within  six 
inches  of  the  ground,  with  scarlet,  having  a  fringe,  a  foot  in 
depth,,  of  deep  blue,  edged  with  gold  and  studded  with  gold 
lions.  Around  the  edge  of  the  platfofm  ran  a  line  of  evergreens, 
festoons  of  the  same  hanging  beneath  it.  Over  the  stern  of  the 
ship  hung  the  "  English  ensign  "  and  the  "  stars  and  stripes," 
looped  up  together,  and  falling  in  graceful  folds  almost  to  the 
ground.  A  canopy,  surmounted  by  a  Tudor  crown,  from 
which  sprung  a  small  pennon,  shaded  the  central  figure  of 
Britannia,  tlie  supports  of  the  canopy  covered  with  evergreens, 
forming  arches  which  sprung  from  the  base  of  the  rock.  This 
canopy  was  white,  with  a  fringe  of  scarlet  edged  with  gold  and 
gold  lions  on  the  ground  of  it.  Four  scarlet  and  gold  pennons, 
attached  to  staffs  with  gold  spear-heads,  rose  from  the  spring  of 
the  arches,  and  from  the  bow  of  the  ship  was  suspended  an 
anchor. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Johnson,  dressed  as  Neptune,  drove  the  car,  which 
was  drawn  by  four  horses,  whose  harness  was  trimmed  with  red, 
white  and  blue.  Following  the  car  were  the  committee  of 
arrangements,  in  carriages :  Mr.  S.  P.  Triscott,  chairman ;  Mr. 
George  Cleveland,  Mr.  John  Dawson,  Mr.  W.  T.  Back,  Mr.  I 
Davis,  Mr.  C.  F.  Lawrence,  Mr.  James  Broadbent. 

SEVENTH    DIVISION. 

The  Seventh  Division  represented  the  lumber  dealers,  black- 
smiths, slaters,  potters,  drain  pipe  makers  &g.  A.  B.  Lovell, 
marshal ;  J.  W.  Jordan,  L.  C.  Kenney,  Hermann  A.  Lange, 
assistant  marshals.     Worcester  National  Band,  in  a  carriage. 

EMBLEM, — GERMANY. 

The  German  Car  was  twenty -three  feet  long,  eight  feet  wide  and 
fifteen  feet  high,  built  to  represent  the  old  castle  Kyffhauser, 
a  ruin  in  Thuringia,  of  which  a  legend  tells  us  of  Frederick 


100  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

I.  the  German  Roman  emperor,  resting  under  its  walls,  and 
awakening  every  one  hundred  years,  when  he  details  his 
attendants  to  ascertain  if  Germany  is  prepared  to  be  united, 
and  if  not  he  returns  to  the  vaults  for  another  hun- 
dred years'  sleep.  The  work  on  this  tower  was  admirably 
done,  the  ruin  being  well  represented.  Ivies  and  mosses 
were  clinging  to  the  sides,  and  a  terrace  formed  the  base, 
with  green  grass  and  small  oak  trees  growing  thereon.  Seated 
on  a  throne  at  the  base  of  the  tower,  and  resting  partially 
against  it,  was  Germania,  a  beautiful  figure,  dressed  throughout 
in  rich  black  velvet.  Embroidered  on  the  breast  was  a  hand- 
some golden  eagle,  and  about  her  waist  an  elegant  sword  belt. 
In  her  left  hand  she  supported  an  elegant  flag  of  Germany 
moving  above  the  tower,  while  her  right  hand  rested  on  the 
hilt  of  a  drawn  sword.  On  her  head  she  wore  a  beautiful 
coronet,  with  two  miniature  castles  worked  in  the  front.  Below 
Germania  was  a  group  of  three  of  the  Muses,  representing 
music,  art  and  history.  The  corners  of  the  car  were  guarded  by 
Halberdiers,  who  appeared  able  to  repress  all  attempts  at  inva- 
sion. Turners  and  students,  in  their  respective  uniforms, 
occupied  positions  at  the  sides.  The  wagon  was  also  heavily 
draped  with  German  colors,  showing  in  each  festoon  a  different 
color  of  the  principal  German  States.  The  driver  of  the  six 
horses  drawing  the  chariot  was  clad  in  the  costume  of  Arminius, 
the  Prince  of  the  Cheruscan  tribe.  Two  Uhlans,  two  hussars, 
a  cuirassier  and  artillerist,  representing  the  four  mounted  corps 
of  the  German  army,  formed  an  escort  to  the  car.  The  horses 
were  also  handsomely  decorated  with  the  German  colors.  Com- 
mittee of  arrangements:  R.  Yolkmar,  Pres.,  Ch.  Schlenker,  Sec, 
Benj.  Zaeder,  Rud.  Hacker,  Leop.  Strauss,  Ph.  Dutten,  Jul. 
Gunther,  Aug.  Biihler,  Herm.  Lang,  Geo.  Trott,  Fried.  Geyer, 
Dan.  Hentz,  Com.  Finames,  Leop.  Strauss,  Geo.  Krumsick,  H. 
Eisentrant,  P.  Bauer,  F.  Blasy.  Germania,  Mrs.  Jacob  Henrich ; 
Muses,  Misses  Eidt,  A.  Zaeder  and  L.  Kochler. 

EIGHTH    DIVISION. 

The   Eighth  Division  comprised  gentlemen's  driving  teams ; 
Lieut.  David  F.  Parker,  marshal ;   Capt.  M.  Y.  B.  Richardson, 


PROCESSIONS.  101 

Charles   W.  Moody,    Gen.    Percy    Daniels,    assistant   marshals. 
Swedish  Brass  Band,  in  a  carriage,  15  pieces,  C.  Ekbled,  leader. 

EMBLEM,— SCANDINAVIA. 

The  Scandinavian  Car  represented  Norway,  Sweden  and 
Denmark.  The  platform — fourteen  feet  long  by  eight  feet  wide, 
and  five  and  a  half  feet  from  tlie  ground — was  covered  with  the 
Scandinavian  colors  and  trimmed  with  evergreens.  Upon  a  seat, 
in  the  centre,  was  enthroned  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  (Miss  Selma 
P.  Aalstrom),  dressed  in  pure  white,  with  trimmings  of  the 
national  colors,  a  helmet  adorning  her  head,  and  holding  in  her 
hand  a  banner,  ten  feet  by  eight,  having  on  one  side  the 
Scandinavian  coat  of  arms,  and  on  the  other  a  Northman's  ship 
of  the  tenth  century,  sailing  for  our  shores,  with  the  words, 
*'  America  discovered  A.  D.,  1000."  In  front  of  the  goddess 
were  representatives  of  Norway,  Sweden  and  Denmark,  in  their 
respective  costumes  of  one  hundred  years  ago,  each  holding  in  his 
hand  the  flag  of  that  date  ;  Norway  being  represented  by  Olaus 
Hanson,  a  Norwegian  ;  Sweden  by  Swen  Hammer,  a  Swede ; 
and  Denmark  by  C.  G.  Blomstrom,  a  Dane. 

Behind  the  goddess,  were  three  distinguished  representatives 
of  the  present  age  :  John  Ericsson,  the  inventor  of  the  caloric 
engine  and  the  world-renowned  "  Monitor,"  personated  by 
Alfred  Johnson  ;  Albert  Thorwaldsen,  the  noted  sculptor,  repre- 
sented at  work  on  an  outline  model  just  moulded  by  him, 
personated  by  Edward  Hammerstrom ;  and  Ole  Bull,  the  cele- 
brated musician,  personated  by  Nils  Peterson. 

In  the  rear  of  the  platform  was  a  Union  soldier  of  Norway 
and  Sweden,  represented  by  Edward  Ericson,  dressed  in  the 
national  uniform,  and  on  each  side  of  him  a  union  flag  of  the 
two  countries.  Over  all  was  a  rich  canopy,  fourteen  feet  from 
the  ground,  covered  with  the  Scandinavian  colors ;  and  six  feet 
above  this  was  an  American  flag,  six  feet  by  eight. 

On  each  side  of  the  car,  printed  in  large  letters,  was  the  word 
"  Scandinavia."  The  car  was  drawn  by  four  horses,  led  by  M. 
Hanson,  C.  Sandbo,  O.  Olson  and  A.  Hanson,  dressed  in  the 
costumes  of  Norway  and  Sweden. 


DECORATIONS    AND    ILLUMINATIONS. 


The  decorations  of  buildings  and  grounds  throughout  the  city 
were  of  a  most  ehiborate  nature,  far  exceeding  anything  of  the 
kind  ever  before  attempted  here. 

The  work  of  decorating  the  Common  and  the  buildings  and 
monuments  thereon  was  done  by  the  city,  and  the  work  was 
much  admired.  At  the  west  gable-end  of  City  Hall  was  a 
shield,  resting  upon  a  glory  of  national  flags.  Suspended  from 
this  were  streamers  running  to  the  sides  of  the  building  below, 
finishing  with  the  coat  of  arms  of  Massachusetts  on  one  side, 
and  the  seal  of  the  United  States  on  the  other.  Covering  the 
middle  window  in  the  second  story  of  the  west  end  was  an 
admirable  life-size  painting  of  Washington,  with  a  glory  of 
American  flags  as  a  background.  The  main  entrance  below  was 
draped  with  national  flags.  On  the  northerly  and  southerly  sides 
of  the  building  were  heavy  festoons  of  red,  white  and  blue,  a 
shield,  bearing  the  name  of  one  of  the  States,  being  suspended 
at  the  gatherings  of  the  festoons.  On  the  easterly  end  of  the 
building  streamers  and  national  flags  were  hung  in  profusion. 

On  the  westerly  side  of  the  Old  South  Church  was  an  arch, 
standing  where  the  old  porch  through  which  the  church  was 
entered,  was  located.  This  was  twenty-one  feet  high,  ten  feet 
deep  and  fourteen  feet  wide,  and  the  frame-work  was  entirely 
covered  with  red,  white  and  blue.  In  the  centre  of  the  arch  was 
a  handsome  shield  of  the  United  States,  with  a  glory  of  national 
flags  as  a  background,  while  on  the  sides  of  the  arch  were  tliir- 
teeri  shields  representing  the  thirteen  original  colonies.  Below 
the  national  shield,  on  a  background  of  white,  in  varied  coloi-ed 
letters,  the  public  were  informed  that  "  Here  stood  the  porcli 
where  the  Declaration  of  Independence  w^as  first  read  in  Massa- 
chusetts."    South  of  this  porch  was  a  painting,   ten  feet  long 


DECORATIONS  AND  ILLUMINATIONS.  103 

and  seven  feet  wide,  representing  Columbia.  This  painting  was 
snrrounded  by  national  flags,  liung  in  graceful  festoons.  In  the 
space  between  the  porch  and  the  painting  of  Columbia  was  a 
handsome  flag  of  France,  draped  with  pennants  of  red,  white 
and  blue.  At  the  north  end  of  the  church,  covering  the  cir- 
cular window  in  the  gable,  the  English  and  American  flags  were 
draped  together,  from  which  streamers  were  suspended.  Two 
lines  of  streamers  of  signals  and  pennants  were  suspended 
between  the  belfry  and  the  City  Hall,  one  running  to  the  west- 
erly end,  and  terminating  with  the  flag  of  Tuscany,  and  the  other 
to  the  easterly  end,  and  terminating  with  a  Brazilian  flag.  .  At 
the  south  end,  in  the  centre,  was  a  large  pennant  of  red,  white 
and  blue,  from  which  streamers  of  flags  ran  to  either  side  of  the 
building. 

The  base  of  the  Soldiers'  Monument  was  wound  with  festoons 
of  red,  white  and  blue,  and  the  disc  was  covered  with  streamers 
intertwined  with  festoons  of  evergreen  running  through  wreaths 
of  the  same  material.  Double  festoons  of  evergreen  were  also 
intertwined  with  the  red,  white  and  blue  at  the  base. 

On  the  top  of  the  Bigelow  Monument  was  an  evergreen 
wreath,  from  which  streamers  ran  to  either  corner  of  the  base, 
and  back  through  the  wreath  at  the  top.  Each  of  the  four 
recesses  was  covered  with  American  flags,  handsomely  draped 
with  wreaths  of  evergreen  hung  at  intervals.  The  base  was  also 
handsomely  covered  with  heavy  festoons  of  red,  white  and  blue, 
upon  which  rested  festoons  of  evergreen. 

At  Lincoln  Square,  the  grand  decoration  consisted  of  a  triple 
arch  126  feet  long  and  52  feet  high  in  the  centre,  extending 
from  the  corner  of  Salisbury's  block  at  the  junction  of  the  new 
lines  of  Union  street  to  a  large  elm  tree  in  front  of  the  Salisbury 
mansion.  Four  wooden  columns  supported  the  decorating 
material,  which  consisted  mainly  of  tricolored  bunting.  At  the 
top  of  the  columns  floated  American  flags.  In  the  centre  was 
hung  a  semi-circle,  bearing  on  the  west  side  the  inscription, 
"  I^orth  Square, — ancient  centre  of  Revolutionary  spirit."  On 
the  east  side  the  inscription  was,  "  Our  country — all  of  it."  The 
top  of  the  circles  was  surmounted  with  a  spread  eagle,  a  silver 
star,   and   cluster  of   small  flags,   while  underneath  were  large 


104  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

American  shields.  In  the  centre  of  the  north  arch  was  a  large 
American  shield,  with  "  1776  "  on  the  face  and  "  1876  "  on  the 
rear.  Over  this  was  a  silver  star.  The  south  arch  was  similarly 
arranged,  with  the  dates  on  the  shields  reversed.  The  columns 
were  covered  with  bunting,  and  on  the  west  face  of  the  two 
centre  ones  were  medallions  of  Washino^ton  and  Lincoln.  The 
effect  of  the  display  was  very  fine,  and  attracted  general 
admiration. 

The  American  Antiquarian  Society  building  was  tastefully 
decorated  with  national  colors.  Over  the  entrance  was  placed 
a  spread  eagle,  perched  on  a  globe.  Streamers  ran  from  the 
roof  to  the  centre  and  lower  story.  On  either  side  of  the  upper 
story  windows  were  large  American  shields.  On  the  top  of 
the  building  floated  a  regulation  American  flag,  inscribed,  "  The 
past  at  least  is  secure — the  future  is  full  of  promise."  Small 
flags  of  other  nationalities  floated  from  the  roof,  and  a  mammoth 
flag  was  hung  across  the  head  of  Salisbury  street. 

The  Exchange  Hotel,  corner  of  Market  street,  where  General 
Washington  took  breakfast  when  he  passed  through  the  town  on 
his  way  to  take  command  of  the  army,  was  decorated  with  bunt- 
ing and  flags.  A  placard  over  the  room  north  of  the  office 
announced  that  the  room  was  once  occupied  by  the  "  Father  of 
his  country." 

On  the  ancient  house  known  as  the  "Dix  House"  on  Main 
Street  at  the  foot  of  "  Court  House  Hill,"  now  occupied  by 
Samuel  Davis,  Esq.,  was  this  inscription:  "  This  was  the  residence 
of  General  Warren's  family  during  the  siege  of  Boston."  A 
house  on  the  west  side  of  Lincoln  Street,  a  few  rods  north  of 
Lincoln  Square,  bore  the  inscription :  "  Near  this  spot  once  stood 
the  Hancock  Arms  Tavern." 

The  Lincoln  House  block  was  conspicuously  adorned  with 
colored  fabrics,  gracefully  arranged,  and  bore  two  placards :  One 
reading,  "  This  spot  marks  the  location  of  the  King's  Arms 
Tavern.  The  towns-people  compelled  the  keeper  to  take  down 
the  sign,  when  it  was  burned  in  the  street ; "  and  the  other, 
"  Lafayette  was  the  guest  of  General  Lincoln  at  a  house  which 
formerly  stood  on  this  spot.     Sept.  22d,  1824." 

As  the  dusk  of  evening  approached,  lanterns  and  colored  fires 


DECOKATIONS  AND  ILLUMINATIONS.  105 

made  the   night  more  briRiant  and   splendid  than  the  day  had 
been,  and  the  throng  in  the  streets  was  scarcely  less. 

The  centre  of  attraction  was  the  Common,  where  the  illumina- 
tion was  done  under  the  direction  of  the  city.  In  the  City  Hall, 
behind  each  square  of  glass,  a  French  lantern  was  hung,  and  the 
effect  was  such  that  the  old  building  was  really  something  of 
which  the  citizens  might  well  be  proud.  In  the  belfry  of  the 
Old  South  Church  were  a  number  of  red  lanterns,  a  simple  yet 
pleasing  display.  Lines  of  lanterns,  of  the  bucket  and  globe 
patterns,  were  hung  in  festoons  between  the  trees  on  the  Front,' 
Main,  Park  and  Salem  street  sides,  and  in  nearly  all  the  trees 
lanterns  were  hung  in  profusion.  Near  the  main  path  was  a 
handsome  chandelier  of  lanterns,  and  lines  of  the  same  were 
stretched  from  the  top  of  the  flagstaff  to  the  four  corners.  A 
Magnesium  light  illuminated  the  Soldiers'  Monument,  and  the 
effect  throughout  was  very  fine. 

Throughout  the  city,  almost  every  dwelling,  shop  and  ofiice 
was  illuminated  more  or  less  profusely.  Many  of  the  devices 
were  very  ingenious  and  tasteful,  and  the  number  of  paper 
lanterns  was  astonishingly  great.  Altogether,  nothing  of  the 
kind  could  well  be  more  satisfactory  than  this  celebration  of 
the  Centennial  Fourth.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  people  was 
genuine  and  hearty,  and  the  celebration  was  notable  for  the 
excellent  management  of  the  public  authorities,  the  general 
co-operation  of  all  classes  of  citizens,  and  the  total  absence  of 
any  serious  accident  or  failure. 


U 


HISTORICAL   NOTES 


HISTORICAL   NOTES. 


It  has  been  deemed  appropriate  to  give  a  few  facts  which 
indicate,  in  some  degree,  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  town  of 
Worcester  a  century  ago,  especially  as  to  the  stand  taken  upon 
the  important  political  questions  then  agitating  the  country. 
This  now  prosperous  city,  with  its  fifty  thousand  inhabitants, 
was  then  a  village,  with  less  than  two  thousand,  and  probably  had 
not  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  voters,  yet  it  was  prominent 
and  active  in  political  affairs. 

Although  many  of  the  most  respected  citizens,  and  most  of  the 
officials,  were  loyal  to  the  British  govel*nment,  the  majority  were 
strongly  opposed  to  the  arbitrar}''  measures  of  parliament,  which 
were  likely  to  aflfect,  as  they  believed,  the  independence  and 
well  being  of  the  people. 

As  early  as  December,  1773,  the  leading  whigs  of  Worcester 
had  formed  a  society  for  discussion  and  consultation  upon  civil 
and  religious  affairs,  called  tlie  "American  Foliti(;al  Society," 
which  was  an  exponent  of  the  political  rights  of  the  people.  It 
also  took  an  active  part  in  town  affairs,  and  often  discussed 
questions  that  were  afterwards  acted  upon  in  town  meeting,  on 
whose  deliberations  and  doings  it  had  a  marked  infiuence.  The 
real  purpose  of  the  Society  was  imdoubtedly  to  control  the 
actions  of  the  royalist  party,  then  consisting  of  the  wealthy  and 
influential  men  of  the  town.  * 

Early  in  1774  the  Society  took  strong  ground  against  the 
action  of  the  home  government  in  placing  a  duty  on  tea  and  other 
goods  imported  from  Great  Britain  to  the   Colonies.     A  vote  or 


*  This  Society  was  probably  to  a  certain  extent  a  secret  one,  for  it  is  stated  that  In  the  only 
instance  on  record  of  a  member  being  dismissed,  lie  was  requested  to  sign  a  solenm  compact  or 
declaration,  that  he  would  "  faithfully  and  inviolably  keep  all  the  articles  of  tlie  Society  secret  as 
truly  as  if  he  still  belonged."  Owing  to  internal  troubles  and  disagreements,  the  Society  was 
dissolved  in  June,  1776. 


110  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

resolution  was  passed  in  whicli  the  members  agreed  not  to  buy 
any  English  goods,  and  especially  not  to  buy  or  use  any  tea, 
imported  from  England  or  elsewhere,  until  the  act  imposing  a 
dut}^  thereon  was  repealed.  Other  resolutions  of  a  similar  nature 
were  adopted  from  time  to  time,  which  gave  great  offence  to 
the  loyalists,  of  whom  there  were  a  considerable  number,  and 
also  encouraged  the  whigs  to  greater  zeal  in  their  resistance  to 
the  aggressions  of  the  crown. 

In  May,  1744,  resolutions  were  adopted  by  the  town,  in  the 
form  of  instructions  to  Joshua  Bigelow,  the  newly-elected  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court.  He  was  instructed  to  be  decided 
in  opposition  to  the  objectionable  acts  of  Parliament,  and  to 
oppose  the  approval  of  all  claims  for  indemnity  for  the  tea 
thrown  overboard  in  the  harbor  of  Boston.  He  was  especially 
urged  to  make  it  one  of  his  first  objects  to  work  for  and  require 
a  strict  union  of  the  Colonies,  and  to  pursue  every  legal  measure 
that  might  tend  thereto,  viz  : — 

"  That  committees  of  correspondence  be  kept  up  between  the  several 
houses  of  assembly  through  the  colonies ;  and  that  you  by  no  means  fail  to 
use  your  utmost  endeavors,  that  there  be  a  general  Congress  formed  of 
deputies  from  the  same ;  that  so  we  may  unite  in  some  safe  and  sure  plan, 
to  secure  and  defend  the  American  liberties,  at  this  important  crisis  of 
affairs."* 

Other  equally  decided  instructions  had  before  been  adopted  by 
the  town,  which  the  loyalists  strongly  opposed  ;  but  not  succeed- 
ing in  their  opposition,  they  petitioned  for  a  special  meeting,  in 
the  hope  that  they  might  be  able  to  secure  a  reconsideration  of 
the  resolutions.  After  a  long  and  excited  discussion  upon  the 
question,  they  were  defeated  in  their  efforts.  Thej^  then  resorted 
to  what  seemed  the  only  course  left,  and  presented  a  protest 
against  the  resolutions,  which  was  most  loyal  in  its  tone,  and 
was  signed  by  fifty-two  inhabitants. 

The  acceptance  of  the  protest  was  refused  by  the  town,  but 
Clark  Chandler,  the  town  clerk,  himself  among  the  signers  of  the 
protest,  as  were  several  of  his  relatives  and  friends,  copied  the 
protest  on  the  records,  and  also  sent  a  copy  to  Boston  for 
publication. 

History  of  Worcester.— By  William  Liucoln,  p.  79. 


HISTORICAL  NOTES.  Ill 

The  protest,  prefaced  with  a  note  to  the  printer,  was  published 
in  the  "  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  the  Boston  Weeklv  News- 
Letter,"  of  June  30th,  1774,  as  follows  :— * 

**  Messrs.  Printers, 

If  you  please  you  may  give  the  following  Protestation  &c  of  us 
few  friends  of  truth,  peace  and  order,  a  place  in  your  paper :  For  it  is 
believed  that  we  and  many  others  thro'  the  Province  have  too  long  already 
held  our  peace. 

*'  At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Worcester  held  there  on 
the  20th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1774,  pursuant  to  an  application  made  to  the 
selectmen  by  43  voters  and  freeholders  of  the  same  town,  dated  the  20th  day 
of  May  last,  therein,  among  other  things,  declaring  their  just  apprehensions 
of  the  fatal  consequences  that  may  follow  the  many  riotous  and  seditious 
actions  that  have  of  late  times  been  done  and  perpetrated  in  divers  places 
within  this  province;  the  votes  and  proceedings  of  which  meeting  are  by  us 
deemed  irregular  and  arbitrary  : 

Wherefore,  we,  some  of  us  who  were  petitioners  for  the  said  meeting, 
and  others,  inhabitants  of  the  town,  hereunto  subscribing,  thinking  it  our 
indispensable  duty,  in  these  times  of  discord  and  confusion  in  too  many  of  the 
towns  within  this  province,  to  bear  testimony  in  the  most  open  and  unreserved 
manner  against  all  riotous,  disorderly  and  seditious  practices,  must  therefore 
now  declare,  that  it  is  with  the  deepest  concern  for  public  peace  and  order 
that  we  behold  so  many,  whom  we  used  to  esteem  sober,  peaceable  men,  so 
far  deceived,  deluded  and  led  astray  by  the  artful,  crafty  and  insidious  prac- 
tices of  some  evil-minded  and  ill-disposed  persons,  who,  under  the  disguise 
of  patriotism,  and  falsely  styling  themselves  the  friends  of  liberty,  some  of 
them  neglecting  their  own  proper  business  and  occupation,  in  which  they 
ought  to  be  employed  for  the  support  of  their  families,  spending  their  time 
in  discoursing  of  matters  they  do  not  understand,  raising  and  propagating 
falsehoods  and  calumnies  of  those  men  they  look  up  to  with  envy,  and  on 
whose  fall  and  ruin  they  wish  to  rise,  intend  to  reduce  all  things  to  a  state  of 
tumult,  discord  and  confusion. 

And  in  pursuance  of  those  evil  purposes  and  practices,  they  have  imposed 
on  the  understanding  of  some,  corrupted  the  principles  of  others,  and  dis- 
tracted the  minds  of  many,  who,  under  the  influence  of  this  delusion,  have 
been  tempted  to  act  a  part  that  may  prove,  and  that  has  already  proved, 
extremely  prejudicial  to  the  province,  and  as  it  may  be,  fatal  to  themselves; 
bringing  into  real  danger,  and  in  many  instances  destroying,  that  liberty  and 
property  we  all  hold  sacred,  and  which  they  vainly  and  impiously  boast  of 
defending  at  the  expense  of  their  blood  and  treasure. 

And,  as  it  appears  to  us,  that  many  of  this  town  seem  to  be  led  aside  by 
strange  opinions,  and  are  prevented  coming  to  such  prudent  votes  and  reso- 
lutions as  might  be  for  the  geueral  good  and  the  advantage  of  this  town  in 
particular,  agreeably  to  the  request  of  the  petitioners  for  this  meeting. 

And  as  the  town  has  refused  to  dismiss  the  persons  styling  themselves  the 

*It  was  also  printed  in  the  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  the  Boston  Post  Boy  and  Advertiser  for 
July  4th,  1774. 


112  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

committee  of  correspondence  for  the  town,  and  has  also  refused  so  much  as 
to  call  on  them  to  render  an  account  of  their  past  dark  and  pernicious  pro- 
ceedings : 

We,  .therefore,  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  do  each  of  us  declare 
and  protest,  it  is  our  firm  opinion,  that  the  committees  of  correspondence  iu 
the  several  towns  of  this  province,  beiug  creatures  of  modern  invention, 
and  constituted  as  they  be,  are  a  legal  grievance,  having  no  legal  foundation, 
contrived  by  a  junto  to  serve  particular  designs  and  purposes  of  their  own, 
and  that  they,  as  they  have  been  and  are  now  managed  in  this  town,  are  a 
nuisance  :  And  we  fear,  it  is  In  a  great  measure  owing  to  the  baneful  influence 
of  such  committees,  that  the  teas  of  immense  value,  lately  belonging  to  the 
East  India  Company,  were,  not  long  since,  scandalously  destroyed  in  Boston, 
and  that  many  other  enormous  acts  of  violence  and  oppression  have  been 
perpetrated,  whereby  the  lives  of  many  honest,  worthy  persons,  have  been 
endangered,  and  their  property  destroyed; 

It  is  by  these  committees  also,  that  papers  have  been  lately  published  and 
are  now  circulating  through  the  province,  inviting,  and  wickedly  tempting, 
all  persons  to  join  them,  fully  implying,  if  not  expressly  denouncing  the 
destruction  of  all  that  refuse  to  subscribe  those  unlawful  combinations, 
tending  directly  to  sedition,  civil  war,  and  rebellion. 

These,  and  all  such  enormities,  we  detest  and  abhor;  and  the  authors  of 
them  we  esteem  enemies  to  our  king  and  country,  violators  of  all  law  and  civil 
liberty,  the  malevolent  disturbers  of  the  peace  of  society,  subverters  of  the 
established  constitution,  and  enemies  of  mankind." 

This  is  certified  to  be  a  true  copy  from  the  Town  Records  of 
Worcester,  by  Clark  Chandler,  Town  Clerk. 

As  soon  as  the  whigs  discovered  that  this  protest  had  been 
entered  upon  the  town  records,  they  were,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
very  excited  and  justly  indignant  with  the  clerk,  for  having, 
as  they  claimed,  exceeded  his  powers,  and  insulted  the  town  by 
his  procedure.  A  petition  was  at  once  presented  to  the  selectmen, 
asking  them  to  call  a  special  meeting  to  take  action  upon  the 
unwarrantable  proceeding  of  the  clerk. 

At  a  meeting  held  the  24th  of  August,  1774,  resolutions,  pre- 
pared by  a  committee  previously  appointed,  were  adopted, 
denouncing  the  protest  of  the  tories  in  the  strongest  terms; 
and  as  it  appeared  "  that  the  same  is  recorded  in  the  town  book, 
notwithstanding  the  many  aspersions  against  the  people  of  this 
town,  and  without  the  liberty  or  knowledge  of  the  town  ;  " 
Therefore,  it  was 

"  Voted,  that  the  town  clerk  do,  in  the  presence  of  the  town,  obliterate, 
erase,  or  otherwise  deface  the  said  recorded  protest,  and  the  names  thereto 
subscribed,  so  that  it  may  become  utterly  illegible  and  unintelligible."* 

*  UlBtory  of  Worcester.— By  WiUiam  Lincoln,  p.  83. 


Hb^SJ, 


3  *.|5itM»J    ^f^    ^/7^  \ 


HISTORICAL  NOTES.  113 

The  clerk  thereupon,  in  open  town  meeting,  with  his  pen 
defaced  the  pages  on  which  the  obnoxious  record  was  made ;  but 
this  not  proving  satisfactory  to  the  patriotic  voters  then  assem- 
bled, he  dipped  his  lingers  into  the  ink  and,  drawing  them  across 
the  records,  so  effectually  accomplished  the  object  that  the  words 
have  indeed  become  utterly  illegible,  as  may  be  seen  by  an 
inspection  of  the  volume  in  tlie  hands  of  the  city  clerk.* 

The  following  vote,  reprimanding   and   admonishing  the  town 

clerk,  was  also  passed  : — 

"Mr.  Clark  Chandler:  "Whereas,  this  town,  at  their  annual  meeting  in 
March  last,  as  well  as  for  several  years  before,  honored  you  by  choosing  you 
for  their  clerk,  relying  on  your  fidelity,  that  you  would  act  for  the  honor  of 
the  town,  and  find  themselves  much  disappointed  by  your  conduct  in 
recording  on  the  town  book  the  scandalous  protest  of  William  Elder  and 
others,  filled  with  falsehood  and  reflections  against  the  town,  we  have  just 
reason  to  fear  you  was  actuated  in  the  matter  by  unjustifiable  motives,  and, 
at  this  time,  exhort  you  to  be  more  circumspect  in  the  execution  of  [the 
duties  of]  your  office,  and  never  give  this  town  the  like  trouble,  of  calling  a 
town  meeting  again  on  such  an  occasion.  The  town  wish  to  see  your  behavior 
such  as  may  restore  you  to  their  former  good  opinion  of  you." 

The  people  of  the  town  continued  to  be  excited  upon  public 
affairs,  and  set  about  preparing  for  a  struggle  which,  it  was  felt, 
might  soon  be  forced  upon  them  ;  and  they  foresaw  that,  so  arbi- 
trary and  intolerant  had  become  the  requirements  of  the  home 
government,  the  result  might  be  a  separation  from  Great 
Britain.  In  October,  1774,  another  series  of  instructions  were 
passed  by  the  town,  to  be  observed  by  Capt.  Timothy  Bigelow, 
their  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress,  soon  to  be  convened 
at  Concord,  which  had  the  true  ring  of  independence,  and 
breathed  a  spirit  of  the  strongest  opposition  to  any  action  which 
should  compromise  their  rights. 

By  these  instructions  he  was  requested,  among  other  things,  to 
obtain  redress  for  grievances  of  various  kinds,  to  procure  the 
restoration  ot  free  trade,  the  removal  of  the  king's  troops,  and 
to  favor  the  appointment  of  a  "  Captain-General "  to  command 
the  militia.     Tliey  also  say  : — 

"  As  the  first  charter  given  to  this  Colony  was  violated,  and  as  we  think 
wrongfully  wrested  from  us  by  Great-Britain,    and  our  second    and   late 


*A  reduced  fac-simile  of  this  page  of  the  town  records,  reproduced  by  the  heliotype  process,  Is 
given  as  being  a  unique  specimen  of  patriotic  indignation. 

15 


114  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

charter  is  nullified  and  destroyed  by  late  Acts  of  the  British  Parliament,  to 
wit :  by  their  assuming  the  authority  of  making  laws  binding  upon  us  in  all 
cases  whatever ;  and  to  enforce  our  compliance  having  sent  ships  of  war,  and 
blocked  the  port  and  harbor  of  our  metropolis,  and  troops  in  hostile  array  to 
dragoon  the  people,  and  the  Governor  independent  of  the  people  for  his 
support,  &c.,  &c.  *  *  *  That  if  all  infractions  on  our  rights  by  Acts  of 
the  British  Parliament  be  not  redressed,  and  we  restored  to  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  all  our  privileges  contained  in  the  charter  of  this  Province,  granted 
by  their  late  Majesties  King  William  and  Queen  Mary,  to  a  punctilio,  before 
the  day  of  your  meeting, — that  then  and  in  that  case  you  are  to  consider  the 
people  of  this  Province  as  absolved  on  their  part  from  the  obligation  therein 
contained,  and  to  all  intents  and  purposes  reduced  to  a  state  of  nature ;  and 
you  are  to  exert  yourself  in  devising  ways  and  means  to  raise  from  the  disso- 
lution of  the  old  constitution,  as  from  the  ashes  of  the  Phoenix,  a  new  form, 
wherein  all  officers  shall  be  dependent  on  the  suflfrages  of  the  people  for  their 
existence,  as  such,  whatever  unfavorable  constructions  our  enemies  may  put 
upon  such  a  procedure.  The  exigency  of  our  public  affairs  leaves  us  no  other 
alternative  from  a  state  of  anarchy  or  slavery." 

More  than  fifty  years  ago,  an  honored  citizen  of  Worcester,* 

in  an  address  at  the  dedication   of  the  Town.  Hall,  thus  alludes 

to    this    bold    action   of  its  citizens    before    the    Declaration    of 

Independence  was  adopted  : — 

*'  We  have  heard  much  just  praise  bestowed  upon  the  bold  and  overpower- 
ing eloquence  of  James  Otis  and  Patrick  Henry  ;  but  vehement  and  daring  as 
they  were,  they  could  not  have  uttered  their  sentiments  in  a  more  decisive 
tone  than  do  the  humble  records  of  Worcester  those  of  its  citizens.  They 
could  not  have  repelled  aggression  in  a  more  resolute  manner,  nor  more 
warily  shunned  the  snares  that  were  set  for  an  unsuspecting  people.  The 
inhabitants  could  not  be  brought  in  any  manner,  direct  or  indirect,  to 
acquiesce  in  the  usurpations  of  the  crown.  They  would  not  permit  their 
representative  to  be  sworn  by  an  officer  not  appointed  according  to  the  pro- 
visions of  the  Provincial  Charter,  nor  to  sit  where  the  deliberations  of  the 
Legislature  would  be  overawed  by  an  armed  force.  Their  resolution  was  to 
yield  no  right,  to  submit  to  no  infraction;  and  if  they  could  not  enjoy  the 
privileges  secured  by  the  charter,  to  establish  an  independent  government, 
and  commit  the  issue  to  a  just  God,  if  an  appeal  to  arms  should  ensue." 

It  was  in  May,  1776,  that  a  town  meeting  was  held,  at  which 
it  was  voted  that  "if  the  Continental  Congress  should  declare  the 
American  Colonies  independent  of  Great  Britain,  we  will  support 
the  measure  with  our  lives  and  fortunes."  These  proceedings 
show  the  feeling  of  the  town  at  that  period,  and  are  proof  that 
they  foresaw  that  the  issue  would  probably  be  the  separation 
from  the  parent  country. 

•  Hon.  John  Davis,  May  2d,  1825. 


HISTORICAL  NOTES.  115 

While  the  people  of  Worcester  were  so  earnest  in  their 
demands  for  liberty  of  conscience,  as  well  as  of  the  body,  they 
were  not  unmindful  of  the  desires  of  others  to  have  secured  to 
them  the  same  blessings.  The  following  advertisement,  from  the 
"Massachusetts  Spy  "  of  June  21st,  1775,  indicates  the  feeling 
of  the  community  at  that  early  date  in  regard  to  negro  slavery : — 

"  Whereas,  the  negroes  in  the  counties  of  Bristol  and  Worcester,  the  24th 
of  March  last,  petitioned  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  for  the  County  of 
Worcester,  (then  convened  in  Worcester,)  to  assist  them  in  obtaining  their 
freedom.     Therefore, — 

In  County  Convention,  June  14, 1775. 
Resolved,  That  we  abhor  the  enslaving  of  any  of  the  human  race,  and  particularly  the  Negroes 
in  this  country.    And  that  whenever  there  shall  be  a  door  opened,  or  opportunity  present,  for 
anything  to  be  done  toward  the  emancipating  the  Negkoes,  we  will  use  our  iuflueuce  and  endeavor 
that  such  a  thing  may  be  effected. 

Attest,  William  Henshaw,  Clerk." 

The  time  soon  came,  however,  when  something  more  tlian 
words  was  necessary,  and  the  patriotic  citizens  of  the  town  were 
prepared  and  ready  to  respond  even  to  the  giving  of  their  lives 
to  uphold  the  principles  they  had  so  boldly  advocated. 

When  the  news  of  the  attack  on  Lexington  and  the  fight  at 
Concord  was  received  in  Worcester,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1775, 
the  bells  were  rung  and  cannon  fired  to  call  out  the  militia  or 
minute  men.  A  company,  under  Capt.  Timothy  Bigelow,  was 
soon  under  arms  upon  the  Common,  and  after  a  prayer  by  Rev. 
Thaddeiis  Maccarty,  started  on  its  march  to  the  scene  of  con- 
flict. Other  troops  soon  followed,  and  before  the  next  morning 
over  one  hundred  men  were  on  their  way  towards  Boston.  An 
appropriate  monument  to  the  memory  of  the  brave  officer  who, 
on  that  April  day,  led  his  company  to  the  defence  of  their  fellow- 
citizens,  has  been  erected  by  one  of  his  descendants,  on  the 
Common  from  which  he  inarched  a  century  ago.* 

But  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  these  notes  to  give  a  detailed 
account  of  this  interesting  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  town. 
This  has  already  been  well  done  by  William  Lincoln,  the  historian 
of  Worcester;   and  during  the  present  year  another  citizen,  Mr. 


*The  monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  Col.  Bigelow,  was  completed  in  the  Spring  of  1861,  and 
was  dedicated  on  the  19th  of  April  of  that  year,  the  anniversary  of  the  departure  of  the  minute  men 
in  1775  for  the  seat  of  war  near  Boston.  Only  two  days  before  the  dedication,  the  Worcester  Light 
Infantry,  who  were  expected  to  have  joined  in  the  exercises  of  the  day,  had  started  with  the  Sixth 
Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Militia,  for  the  defence  of  Washington,  and  at  the  very  time  the  cere- 
monies of  dedication  were  going  on,  they  were  bravely  fighting  their  way  through  the  streets  of 
Baltimore. 


116  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

Albert  A.  Lovell,  interested  in  preserving  memorials  of  the  past, 
has  published  a  "  History  of  Worcester  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution." 

It  was  a  short  time  before  the  affair  at  Lexington  that  Mr. 
Isaiah  Thomas,  then  publishing  a  newspaper  in  Boston,  sent  a 
press  and  types  to  Worcester,  anticipating  that  the  conflict 
between  the  people  and  the  British  troops  would  soon  render  it 
impossible  to  remain  in  Boston.  He  was  assisted  in  tlie  removal 
of  tlie  press  and  types  by  the  patriotic  Timothy  Bigelow.  Select- 
ing a  dark  night  for  the  purpose,  they  took  them  across  the 
river  to  Charlestown,  from  whence  they  were  removed  to  Wor- 
cester, and  set  up  in  the  basement  of  Col.  Bigelow's  house.  Mr. 
Thomas  himself  arrived  in  Worcester  soon  after  the  attack  on 
Lexington,  having  escaped  from  Boston,  leaving  most  of  his 
property  behind  him.  He  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
"  Spy  "  under  the  name  of  the  "  Massachusetts  Spy  or  American 
Oracle  of  Liberty,"  with  the  words,  ''•  Ainericcms  ! — Liberty  or 
Death  ! — Join  or  Die  /"  printed  over  the  title. 

The  first  number  was  printed  May  3d,  1775,  and  has  additional 
interest  from  being  the  first  thing  printed  in  Worcester.  This 
paper  also  contained  the  first  regular  account  of  the  battle  of 
Lexington. 

In  a  letter  to  a  member  of  the  General  Court,  written  October 
2d,  1775,  Mr.  Thomas  makes  some  interesting  statements  in 
regard  to  his  escape  from  Boston,  and  to  the  difficulties  encoun- 
tered in  starting  the  "  Spy "  in  Worcester.  As  a  matter  of 
historical  interest  the  contents  of  this  letter  are  here  given, 
copied  from  the  original,  in  the  possession  of  the  American 
Antiquarian  Society  : — 

*' Worcester,  October  2,  1775. 

Sir:—1  have  the  honor  of  receiving  two  letters  from  you  which  you  sent 
by  Order  of  the  Hon.  House,  desiring  me  to  send  no  more  papers  to  them  on 
account  of  the  Colony.  In  your  last.  Sir,  you  mention  "that  it  is  thought 
highly  improper  to  continue  the  papers  if  they  were  to  be  paid  for; 
but  that  it  was  possible  you  had  been  misinformed  and  that  the  Printers 
intended  those  papers  as  a  present,  as  you  till  of  late  supposed."  I  will 
agreeable  to  your  request,  inform  you  of  the  true  state  of  the  matter  and 
humbly  submit  it  to  consideration. 

A  few  days  before  the  late  memorable  Battle  of  Lexington,  I  applied  at 


»  HISTORICAL  NOTES.  117 

Concord,  to  a  member  of  the  Hon.  Delagates,  then  sitting  in  Congress,  among 
■whom  was  the  Hon  President,  to  ask  their  opinion,  if  it  was  not  proper,  as 
public  matters  then  w^ere,  for  me  to  remove  my  Printing  Office  out  of  Boston, 
as  I  found  the  Liberty  of  the  Press,  in  that  devoted  Capital,  daily  declining 
and  myself  growing  more  and  more  obnoxious  to  the  Enemies  of  our  once 
happy  Constitution,  and  more  particularly  so  to  our  then  Military  Masters 
(some  of  w^hom  had  carried  their  Resentment  so  far,  as  Twice  to  endeavor  to 
assassinate  me,  for  no  other  reason,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  than  doing  the 
little  in  my  power,  in  the  w^ay  "of  my  Profession,  towards  supporting  the 
Rights,  and  Privileges  of  my  countrymen.)  The  Hon.  Gentlemen  informed 
me  that  they  thought  it  was  highly  requisite  I  should  immediately  remove 
myself  and  piinting  materials  out  of  Boston,  as  in  a  few  days  it  might  be  too 
late.  I  accordingly  went  and,  as  soon  as  could  be,  packed  up  my  Press  and 
types,  and  in  the  dead  of  night,  stole  them  out  of  town.  Two  nights  after 
this  the  Troops  went  to  Lexington,  and  the  next  evening  Boston  was  entirely 
shut  up  : — I  escaped  myself  the  day  of  the  battle  and  left  everything  my  tools 
excepted  behind  me.  Some  of  the  delagates  of  the  Hon.  Congress,  in  a  day 
or  two  after  desired  me  to  get  my  Press  ready  for  Printing  as  they  had 
several  things  to  be  done.  I  informed  them  of  my  itnfortunate  circumstances 
a^  «/ta«  iime— fleeing  from  Boston,  without  any  money  to  purchase  stock;  (I 
had  just  labored  through  another  year  with  my  paper,  and  it  being  the  custom 
for  subscribers  to  pay  yearly,  all  that  I  should  at  that  time  have  possessed,  was 
then,  and  is  now,  in  the  hands  of  my  numerous  subscribers  now  scattered 
throughout  the  Continent,  to  the  amount  of  above  Three  Thousand  Dollars.) 
The  Hon.  Committee  of  Supplies  were  so  kind  as  to  order  me  paper  for  a 
present  supply,  as  something  was  due  to  me  from  the  Province,  and  I  was 
requested  immediately  to  continue  the  publication  of  the  Massachusetts 
Spy. 

In  a  few  days  after  this,  I  was  ordered  with  my  tools  to  Concord,  thither  I 
directly  w^ent  myself,  but  before  my  tools  could  possibly  arrive,  the  Congress 
had  adjourned  to  Watertown,  and  it  was  told  me  by  several  of  that  honorable 
body,  that  it  was  best  for  me  to  continue  for  the  present  at  Worcester.  As 
none  of  the  Boston  printers  then  published  a  paper,  or  were  like  to  do  it, 
myself  excepted,  I  was  desired  by  many  gentlemen,  both  in  the  Congress,  the 
different  committees,  and  the  army,  to  forward  mine  to  them;  and  several 
who  I  imagined  knew  my  circumstances,  told  me  I  should  send  a  number  to 
the  Congress  and  to  the  head  Quarters  : — I  immediately  Established  a  Post  to 
the  army  to  bring  me  intelligence,  and  carry  my  Papers  to  the  Hon.  Congress 
and  the  army.  As  matters  were  then  in  much  disorder,  together  with  my 
residing  at  such  a  distance,  added  to  the  desire  I  ever  have  had  of  doing  my 
Country  all  the  service  in  my  power,  I  did  what  my  superiors  bade,  without 
ever  inquiring — Who  was  to  reward  me  ? — And  as  it  was  thought  I  could  serve 
my  country  best  in  the  capacity  of  a  Printer,  I  went  on  publishing  my  paper, 
although  at  that  time,  I  had  not  200  subscribers  exclusive  of  what  I  sent  to 
the  Hon.  Congress,  the  Committees  and  Army.  I  never  meant  to  make  any 
great  profit  by  the  papers  I  have  sent,  and  have  only  charged  one  Penny  for 
each  paper,  which  is  hardly  what  it  cost  me  for  the  Stock  and  Labor,  exclusive 
of  any  emolument.    If  the  Hon.  House,  after  this  detail   (for  the  length  of 


118  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

which  I  humbly  crave  your  forgiveness,  as  I  thought  it  best  to  be  particular) 
should  think  I  was  too  forward  and  do  not  merit  any  pay,  either  for  the  papers, 
or  any  part  of  the  Postage,  I  shall  content  myself  with  their  determination. 

Your  candor  Sir  will  excuse  the  inaccuracies  of  this  Letter,  wrote  in  haste, 
as  I  have  just  now  an  opportunity  of  transmitting  it  to  you. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 

your  obliged, 

humble  servant, 

IsA.  Thomas. 
P.  S. 

I  have  sent  weekly,  since  my  publishing  in  this  place  100  papers  to  the  Hon. 
Congress  while  they  sat,  and  afterwards  the  same  number  to  the  Hon  House — 
80  to  the  Head  Quarters  in  Cambridge— 60  to  Headquarters  in  Roxbury— 16  to 
the  Hon  Council,  16  to  the  Committee  of  Supplies,  and  16  to  the  Committee 
of  Safety.  In  the  whole  288  papers,  weekly  for  which  I  have  only  charged 
6s  per  week  postage. 
288  papers  for  twenty  weeks  at  Id  each  and  6d  per  week  postage      £31. — 10 

I.   T." 

The  *'  Spy "  took  strong  ground  for  the  doctrines  soon  after 
adopted  and  promulgated  by  Congress  in  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  and  Mr.  Thomas  had  been  so  earnest  in  his 
demands  for  equal  rights  for  all,  while  editing  the  paper  in 
Boston,  that,  in  a  letter  written  to  him  by  John  Hancock,  April 
4,  1775,  he  was  addressed  as  the  ''  Supporter  of  the  Eights  and 
Liberties  of  Mankind." 

From  October,  1775,  to  July,  1776,  the  "  Spy  "  was  i>ublished 
on  Fridays,  after  that,  on  Wednesdays.  Early  in  1776  Mr. 
Thomas,  desiring  to  establish  a  press  in  another  part  of  the  State, 
leased  his  newspaper  to  William  Stearns  and  Daniel  Bigelow, 
young  lawyers  of  Worcester,  and  their  names  Urst  appear  as 
publishers  in  the  issue  for  June  21,  1776. 

Mr.  Thomas,  however,  still  kept  his  interest  in  the  town,  and 
was  present  in  July,  1776,  to  take  a  prominent  part  in  an  event 
which  citizens  of  Worcester  look  back  to  with  pride  and  satisfac- 
tion. 

As  is  well  known,  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  passed 
in  the  evening  of  July  4:th,  1776,  by  (uongress,  and  signed  on 
that  day  by  the  President,  John  Hancock,  and  the  Secretary, 
Charles  Thompson,  but  it  may  not  be  equally  well  known,  that  it 
was  not  signed,  in  its  completed  form,  by  the  members,  till  the 


HISTORICAL  NOTES.  119 

second  day  of  August  following.     Immediately  after  its  passage, 
it  was 

"  Resolved,  that  copies  of  the  Declaration  be  sent  to  the  several  assemblies, 
conventions,  and  Committees  or  Councils  of  Safety,  and  to  the  several  com- 
manding officers  of  the  Continental  troops ;  and  that  it  be  proclaimed  in  each 
of  the  United  States  and  at  the  Head  of  the  Army." 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  copies  could  be  printed,  it  was  sent  by 
couriers  to  the  different  States.  Having  been  first  publicly  read 
at  Philadelphia  the  8th  of  July,  it  was  received  in  New  York,  at 
Washington's  head-quarters,  on  the  9tli,  and  in  the  evening  it 
was  read  at  the  head-quarters  of  each  brigade. 

By  some  means,  however,  rumors  of  the  passage  of  the  act 
had  reached  Worcester  in  advance  of  the  messenger  with  the 
attested  copy,  for  in  the  "  Massachusetts  Spy  "  of  July  10th, 
we  find  the  following  announcement : 

"  It  is  reported  that  the  Honorable  Continental  Congress  have  declared  the 
American  Colonies  independent  of  the  Monster  of  imperious  domination  and 
cruelty— Great  Britain  !     Which  we  hope  is  true." 

The  confirmation  of  this  rumor  was  received  in  Worcester  on 
Saturday  the  13th,  or  Sunday  the  14th  of  July,  and  was  read 
publicly  for  the  first  time  in  New  England  by  Isaiah  Thomas, 
from  the  roof  of  the  west  porch  of  the  Old  South  Meeting- 
House,  and  also  on  Sunday,  after  service,  in  the  house  itself.  It 
is  supposed  that  the  messenger  of  Congress  was  intercepted 
on  his  way  through  the  town,  by  Mr.  Thomas,  and  a  copy  of  the 
important  document  secured.  It  was  printed  in  the  ''Spy"  of 
July  17,  for  the  first  time  in  any  newspaper  in  New  England.* 
The  Declaration  was  read  in  Boston  on  the  18th  of  July,  from 
the  balcony  of  the  State  House,  by  Col.  Thomas  Crafts,  to  an 
immense  concourse,  including  not  only  the  loyal  people  but 
many  of  the  British  officers  and  men  who  were  held  as  prisoners 
in  Boston.     It  is  said  the  British  officers  were  especially  requested 


*  A  fac-simlle  of  this  number  of  the  "  Spy,"  from  the  ori^nal,  in  the  possession  of  the  American 
Antiquarian  Society,  published  by  the  Campbell  Printing  Press  Co.,  of  New  York,  for  distribution 
at  the  International  Exhibition,  Philadelphia,  is  given  as  one  of  the  Illustrations  of  this  pub- 
lication. 


120  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

to  be  present  in  full  uniform  on  the  occasion.  It  was  received 
with  great  demonstrations  of  joy  from  the  patriotic  inhabitants, 
by  the  ringing  of  bells,  firing  of  cannon,  and  the  cheers  of  the 
people.  Tlie  "  Spy,'*  in  its  account  of  the  affair,  says  that  on 
the  same  evening — 

"  Every  sign  of  the  King's  Arms,  or  any  resemblance  of  it,  whether  Lion  or 
Crown,  Pestle,  Mortar  and  Crown,  Hare  and  Crown,  together  with  every  sign 
that  belonged  to  a  tory,  were  taken  down,  and  the  latter  made  a  general 
conflagration  in  King  street." 

The  time  which  elapsed  between  the  reception  of  the  Declara- 
tion in  Worcester  and  its  publication  in  the  Boston  newspapers 
may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact,  that  the  messenger  leaving  the 
former  place  on  Sunday  the  1-ith  of  July,  would  not  reach 
Boston  in  time  to  have  it  printed  in  the  "  Boston  Gazette  and 
Country  Journal"  of  Monday;  consequently,  there  being  no  other 
paper  published  till  Thursday  the  18th,  the  Declaration  did  not 
appear  in  print  till  the  issues  of  the  ''  Continental  Journal  and 
Weekly  Advertiser "  and  the  '^  New  England  Chronicle,"  both 
published  on  that  day,  and  was  not  printed  in  the  Gazette  till  the 
22d. 

Without  doubt  the  official  copy  was  at  once  forwarded  to  the 
Council,  then  in  session  at  Watertown,  who  gave  orders  for  a 
proper  celebration  of  the  passage  of  such  an  important  act,  and 
for  its  promulgation  in  Boston.  The  preparations  for  tlie  cele- 
bration, which,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  account  in  the  Boston 
papers,  was  somewhat  imposing,  undoubtedly  caused  delay,  so 
that  it  was  four  days  after  its  reading  in  Worcester  when  the 
Declaration  was  publicly  read  in  Boston. 

On  Monday  of  the  next  week,  after  the  reading  of  the  Declara- 
tion (the  22d),  the  first  public  celebration  of  its  adoption  took 
place  in  Worcester,  and  is  thus  reported  in  the  "  Spy  "  of  the 
24th  :— 

"  On  Monday  last,  a  number  of  patriotic  gentlemen  of  this  town,  animated 
with  a  love  of  their  country,  and  to  show  their  approbation  of  the  measures 
lately  taken  by  the  Grand  Council  of  America,  assembled  on  the  Green,  near 
the  liberty  pole,  where,  after  having  displayed  the  colors  of  the  thirteen  con- 
federate colonies  of  America,  the  bells  were  set  ringing  and  the  drums  a 


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HISTOKICAL  NOTES.  121 

beating  :  After  which,  the  Declaration  of  Independence  of  the  United  States 
was  read  to  a  large  and  respectable  body,  among  whom  were  the  selectmen 
and  committee  of  correspondence,  assembled  on  the  occasion,  who  testified 
their  approbation  by  repeated  huzzas,  firing  of  musketry  and  cannon,  bonfires 
and  other  demonstrations  of  joy;  When  the  arms  of  that  tyrant  in  Britain, 
George  the  III.,  of  execrable  memory,  which  in  former  times  decorated,  but  of 
late  disgraced  the  court  house  in  this  town,  were  committed  to  the  flames  and 
consumed  to  ashes ;  after  which,  a  select  company  of  the  sons  of  freedom, 
repaired  to  the  tavern,  lately  known  by  the  sign  of  the  King's  Arms,  which 
odious  signature  of  despotism  was  taken  down  by  order  of  the  people,  which 
was  cheerfully  complied  with  by  the  innkeeper,  where  the  following  toasts 
were  drank;  and  the  evening  spent  with  joy,  on  the  commencement  of  the 
happy  era." 

Among  the  toasts  offered  on    this  occasion  were   the   follow- 


"  Prosperity  and  perpetuity  to  the  United  States  of  America.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  Grand  Council  of  America.  The  Grand  Council  of  America.  His 
excellency  General  Washington.  The  Patriots  of  America.  Every  Friend  of 
America.  George  rejected  and  liberty  protected.  Sore  eyes  to  all  tories, 
and  a  chestnut  burr  for  an  eye  stone.  Perpetual  itching  without  the  benefit 
of  scratching,  to  the  enemies  of  America.  Speedy  redemption  to  all  the 
officers  and  soldiers  who  are  now  prisoners  of  war  among  our  enemies.  The 
Selectmen  and  Committees  of  Correspondence  for  the  Town  of  Worcester. 
May  the  enemies  of  America  be  laid  at  her  feet.  May  the  freedom  and 
independency  of  America  endure,  till  the  sun  grows  dim  with  age,  and  this 
earth  returns  to  chaos." 

In  conclusion,  the  report  says  : — 

"The  greatest  decency  and  good  order  was  observed,  and  at  a  suitable 
time  each  man  returned  to  his  respective  home." 


The  town  records  for  1776  show  that  a  special  town  meeting 
was  called  for  the  30th  of  September,  to  act  upon  the  question  of 
adopting  a  State  Constitution.  The  fourth  article  of  the  warrant 
calling  the  meeting  reads  as  follows  : — 


"Agreeable  to  a  Resolve  of  the  General  assembly  of  September  the  seven- 
teenth, Recommending  to  all  the  male  inhabitants  of  Each  Town  in  this 
State,  being  free  and  of  Twenty  one  years  of  age  and  upwards,  to  consider  of, 
vote  and  Determine,  whether  they  will  give  their  consent  that  the  present 
House  of  Representatives  of  this  state  with  the  Council,  if  they  consent,  in 
one  body  with  the  House,  and  by  equal  voice,  should  consent,  agree  on  and 
16 


122  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

enact,  such  a  Constitution  and  form  of  Government  for  this  State  as  the  said 
House  of  Representatives  &  Council  as  aforesaid,  on  the  fullest  and  most 
mature  Deliberation  shall  judge  will  most  Conduce  to  the  safety,  peace  and 
happiness  of  this  State  in  all  after  successions  and  generations.  Or  do  or  act 
any  other  matter  or  thing  Respecting  the  premises,  agreeable  to  said  resolve, 
which  they  may  think  proper." 

From  the  records  of  the  meeting  held  that  day  it  appears 
no  immediate  action  was  taken  in  the  matter,  it  having  been 
voted : — 

"  That  Considering  the  importance  of  forming  a  new  Government  for  this 
state,  agreeable  to  a  Resolve  of  the  General  assembly  of  the  17''  of  September 
Instant,  and  the  propriety  of  all  the  freemen  in  the  state  having  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity to  give  their  voice  in  the  matter,  and  the  great  number  of  the  freemen 
of  this  town  from  being  absent  for  the  defence  of  this  and  the  other  American 
States,  this  article  be  referred  to  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting."  "Meeting 
adj"^  to  3  Monday  in  Dec." 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  is  recorded  on  the  town 
book  immediately  after  the  record  of  the  above  meeting.* 

If  the  objects  of  this  publication  would  admit,  it  would  be 
interesting  to  continue  these  notes,  so  as  to  embrace  the  more 
exciting  times  of  the  Revolution,  in  which  the  town  of  Worcester 
took  an  active  part  and  responded  with  promptness,  as  it  has  in 
later  days,  to  the  countr^^'s  call  for  men  to  fight  in  its  defence. 

Notices  of  some  of  the  ancient  buildings  and  historical  localities 
and  a  brief  chronology  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  history 
of  the  town,  from  its  settlement  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution, 
are  given,  whic^h,  it  is  believed,  will  be  a  source  of  information  to 
those  of  our  citizens  who  have  not  the  time  to  consult  extended 
and  elaborate  histories. 


•  Town  Records,  Vol.  4,  page  72. 


ANCIENT  BUILDINGS  AND  HISTOEICAL  LOCALITIES 

IN  WORCESTER. 


The  Old  South  Meeting— House. 

The  oldest  and  most  interesting  of  the  public  buildings  now- 
standing  in  Worcester  is  the  Old  South  Meeting-House,  on  the 
Common.  This  ancient  edifice  stands  upon  nearly  the  same  spot 
as  that  occupied  by  the  second  building  erected  for  public 
worship  in  1719. 

The  necessity  for  a  new  meeting-house  was  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  town  by  the  following  article  in  the  warrant  for  a 
town  meeting,  called  March  2,  1761,  viz : — 

"  To  see  if  the  town  will  build  a  suitable  House  for  y«  Publick  Worship  of 
God  and  give  such  Directions  relative  thereto  as  they  may  Judge  Proper." 

Nothing  was  done  at  this  time,  however,  in  the  matter,  and 
although  the  question  was  brought  up  at  several  subsequent 
meetings,  it  was  not  till  March  8,  1762,  that  definite  action  was 
taken.     Then  the  town  voted  : — 

*'  That  there  be  a  new  meeting  House  Built  for  the  Public  worship  of  God, 
that  the  same  be  erected  as  nigh  the  present  House  as  y«  Ground  will  admit 
off,  and  that  James  Putnam,  Josiah  Brewer  and  Timothy  Paine,  Esqrs  & 
Messrs  Elisha  Smith  Jr  Joshua  Bigelow,  Capt.  Daniel  Ward  and  John 
Chandler  Jr  Esq  be  a  committee  to  calculate  the  cost  of  a  House  seventy  feet 
long  fifty  five  feet  wide  and  Twenty  eight  feet  posts,— and  what  the  Difference 
will  be  between  Building  s'^  House  with  Brick  or  wood  and  lay  the  same 
before  the  Town  to  give  further  Direction  toward  Building  said  House." 


124  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

The  result  of  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  town  was  the  com- 
mencement of  the  building  June  21st,  1763,  the  location  having 
been  iixed  at  the  meeting  of  May  18th,  when  the  following  votes 
were  passed  : — 

"Upon  the  fifth  Article  of  the  Warrcint  relative  to  the  alteration  of  the 
Place  for  the  New  Meeting- House  the  Question  being  put  if  the  Town  would 
give  order  for  setting  s'^  House  on  y''  Gravelly  Knole  between  Mr.  Futmans 
and  the  Burying  Place  &  it  Passed  in  the  negative. — Therefore, 

"  Voted — that  the  Committee  for  Building  the  New  Meeting-House,  as  soon 
as  may  be  pull  down  the  Old  Meeting  House  and  save  what  stuff  they  can,  and 
that  the  New  Meeting  House  be  sett  on  y  spot  where  the  old  one  stands,  as 
may  be  convenient,  and  that  the  new  House  Front  y^  Country  Road.  Former 
votes  of  the  Town  in  March,  1762,  Notwithstanding." 

"  Voted,  That  the  s'^  Comittee  Hire  a  suitable  Number  of  men  to  Raise  the 
New  meeting  House  in  the  cheapest  manner  they  can,  and  that  there  be  no 
Public  Entertainment." 

The  first  assembling  of  the  congregation  in  the  new  house 
(although  it  was  not  entirely  completed)  was  on  Thanksgiving 
Day,  December  8th,  1763,  on  which  occasion  Rev.  Thaddeus 
Maccarty,  the  minister  of  the  town,  delivered  a  thanksgiving  and 
historical  sermon. 

That  the  house  was  not  fully  completed  at  the  time  of  the 
sermon  by  Mr.  Maccarty,  is  shown  by  the  town  records,  from 
which  it  appears  that  at  a  meeting  held  the  12tli  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1763,  in  the  "  new  meeting-house  "  it  was  voted  : — 

**That  it  be  an  Instruction  to  y«  Committee  for  Building  y**  new  Meeting- 
House  that  they  build  a  Porch  at  y"  Front  Door  so  as  to  accommodate  going 
into  y  Front  Gallery." 

Also  at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  the  14tli  of  the  same 
month  it  was  voted  that : — 

**  Whereas  y«  Town  at  this  Meeting  gave  Instructions  to  y^  Committee  for 
Building  a  Porch  at  y«  Front  Door  so  as  to  accommodate  going  into  y"  Front 
Gallery  y«  Town  taking  y"  same  into  further  consideration,  voted  that  y« 
s*^  Committee  only  build  a  low  Porch  at  s''  Door." 

This  edifice  was  erected  by  tlie  town  in  its  municipal  capacity, 
and  was  owned  by  the  town  till  the  second  parish  (Rev.  Dr. 
Bancroft's)  was  incorporated  in  1787,  when  it  became  the  pro- 
perty of  the  first  parish. 


OLD    SOUTH    CHURCH,     IN    WORCESTER. 
As   it  appeared   in    1776. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  1 2o 

In  this  hoTi.se  the  inhabitants  met,  not  only  for  religious 
services,  but  to  transact  all  the  town  business,  it  being  for  many 
years  the  only  bnilding  where  the  citizens  could  assemble  for 
that  purpose.  Here  the  people  gathered  in  July,  1776,  to  hear 
Isaiah  Thomas  read  the  Declaration  of  Inrlependence  ;  and,  un- 
doubtedly, within  its  walls  many  debates  took  place  upon  the 
affairs  of  the  country  and  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. The  parsonage,  occupied  by  Kev.  Mr.  Maccarty,  was  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Common,  near  the  corner  of  Park  and 
Portland  streets. 

The  following  description  of  the  building  is  taken  from  Mr. 
Lovell's  "  History  of  Worcester  in  the  War  of  the  Pevolu- 
tion  "  : — 

"The  ong:inal  dimensions  were  70  feet  in  len^h  by  55  in  width,  with  a 
tower  on  the  north,  surmounted  by  a  spire  130  feet  high.  *  *  *  The 
principal  entrance  was  through  a  porch  on  the  west  side,  and  there  was 
also  an  entrance  through  a  porch  at  the  south  end,  and  another  through 
the  tower  on  the  north.  The  porch  at  the  main  entrance  had  wide  double 
doors  in  front  and  single  doors  at  the  sides.  The  entrance  through  the  tower 
was  also  by  doors  on  the  three  sides.  The  floor  of  the  meeting  house  was 
provided  with  sixty-one  large  square  box  pews  and  seven  long  pews  on  each 
side  of  the  broad  aisle, — these  last  being  free.  Those  at  the  right  on  entering 
were  assigned  to  the  men,  and  those  on  the  left  to  the  women.  In  front  of 
the  pulpit  was  the  pew  for  the  deacons,  and  the  pew  for  the  aged  and  deaf. 
Over  the  pulpit  was  the  high  sounding  board  with  its  pendant  dove.  On  three 
sides  was  a  very  deep  gallery,  the  pulpit  being  raised  high  enough  to  be  in 
fall  view  of  every  seat."* 

In  accordance  with  the  rules  of  the  Cambridge  Platform 
accommodations  were  provided  for  the  Elders,  the  pew  directly 
in  front  of  the  pulpit  being  called  the  Elders',  although  such 
officials  were  not  recognized  by  the  rules  of  the  parish.  This 
pew  was  occupied  on  the  Sabbath  by  the  aged  and  deaf,  and  by 
the  Selectmen  at  town  meetings  when  receiving  the  votes. 

Slight  changes  were  made  from  time  to  time  in  the  interior 
arran  Clements  of  the  Vjuildincr.  In  1783,  "  four  of  the  back  free 
seats  were  taken  out  and  new   square   pews  put  in  theii*  place." 


*  We  are  indebted  lo  Mr.  Albert  A.  Lovell  for  the  use  of  the  heliotvpe  of  the  Old  South  Church 
as  it  appeared  in  1776. 


126  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

In  1828,  the  most  radical  change  was  made,  the  old  square  pews 
being  all  removed,  and  the  present  long  pews  substituted.  The 
ancient  pulpit  (which  w^as  on  the  east  side  of  the  room)  and 
the  sounding  board  with  a  dove  and  olive  branch  suspended  from 
the  centre  were  likewise  removed.  The  porch  on  the  west  side 
was  taken  down  and  the  wings  added  on  each  side  of  the  tower. 
In  1834  another  change  was  made,  by  removing  the  south  porch 
and  extending  the  building  in  that  direction  twenty-five  feet ;  the 
present  long  windows  were  substituted  for  the  small  ones  in 
1871. 

The  Common?-,  or  Trainlng  Ground. 

The  Central  Park  or  Common  was  laid  out  very  early  in  the 
settlement  of  the  town,  and  was  originally  much  larger  than  at 
present. 

In  1669,  at  a  meeting  of  a  committee  appointed  to  have  in 
charge  the  laying  out  and  planting  a  settlement  or  "  plantation 
about  fourteen  miles  from  Marlborough,"  voted : — 

**  That  there  bee  a  plase  reserued  in  comon  ueare  the  center  of  the  towne 
convenient  for  that  purpose,  about  twenty  acres  for  a  trayning  plase  and  to 
set  a  school  house  upon ;  as  near  as  may  bee  where  the  meeting  house  should 
be  plased." 

In  1732,  the  proprietors  appointed  Moses  Rice,  Thomas 
Stearns  and  Benjamin  Flagg,  Jr.,  a  committee  to  make  a  survey 
of  the  common  land  near  the  meeting-house.  They  made  their 
report  in  November,  1731:,  from  wliich  we  find  that  the  Common 
had  much  decreased  in  size  since  it  was  originally  laid  out.  The 
committee  say  : — 

"  Pursuant  to  a  vote  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  Comon  and  undivided  land 
in  the  south  part  of  Worcester,  May  the  17th,  1732,  appointing  us  a  Committee 
to  return  a  plat  of  the  Comon  Land  by  the  Meeting  House  in  Worcester, 
having  surveyed  the  same  find  eleven  acres  and  one  hundred  and  forty  rod 
including  the  Burial  place  and  the  road  thro'  the  said  Comon  is  Bounded  as 
described  in  this  platt  herewith  returned  &  survey  by  Benj'a.  Flagg. 

All  of  which  is  submitted  to  the  Proprietors  by  us." 

Encroachments  upon  the  Common,  as  thus  laid  out,  have  been 
made  from  time  to  time,  so  that  it  is  now  reduced  to  about  seven 
acres. 

Forty  or  fifty  years  ago  there  were  two  travelled  roads  across 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  127 

the  Common — one  from  the  north-west  to  the  south-east  corner, 
the  other  from  the  soiitli-west  corner,  at  the  present  junction  of 
Main  and  Park  streets,  to  the  north-east  corner,  near  the  house 
of  Capt.  Daniel  Goulcling,  which  was  in  1829  a  tavern,  kept  by 
Nathaniel  Eaton,  and  stood  near  the  present  location  of  Hough- 
ton's Block. 

For  many  years,  besides  being  used  for  the  training  ground 
and  musters  of  the  militia,  it  was  the  place  used  for  the 
annual  cattle  shows,  as  well  as  for  menageries  and  other  travel- 
ling exhibitions.  On  the  south-east  corner,  near  the  junction  of 
Park  street  with  Salem  Square,  was  one  of  the  town  school- 
houses,  and  just  back  of  that,  the  town  pound  fronting  on  what 
was  at  one  time  known  as  the  Baptist  Hill,  now  Salem  Square. 

Till  about  the  year  1834,  at  which  time  a  substantial  wooden 
fence  was  built,  the  Common  was  not  enclosed,  except  that  part 
reserved  for  a  burial  ground  which  was  surrounded  by  a  stone 
wall. 

Jonas  Pice,  the  first  settler  in  the  town  at  the  permanent 
settlement  in  1713,  was  buried  in  the  burial  ground  on  the  Com- 
mon in  1753.*  Here  also,  in  1784,  was  buried  the  Pev. 
Thaddeus  Maccarty,  the  first  minister  of  the  Old  South  Church  ; 
and  in  1790,  Col.  Timothy  Bigelow,  and  in  1796,  Major  William 
Treadwell — soldiers  of  the  Pevolution. 

This  burying  ground  was  formerly  at  the  east  end  of  the  Com- 
mon and  in  use  from  1730  to  1795,  when  it  was  discontinued, 
and  the  ground  in  Mechanic  street  taken  by  the  town  for  burial 
purposes. 

On  or  near  the  spot  where  the  flagstaff  now  stands,  and  a 
little  west  of  the  Bigelow  monument,  ^as  the  cannon  house 
of  the  Worcester  Artillery,  the  hearse  house,  and  for  many 
years  a  building  occupied  by  the  hook  and  ladder  company. 

The  Town  Hall  was  not  erected  on  the  Common  till  1825, 
being  formally  opened  May  2d  of  that  year,  on  which  occasion 
the  late  Gov.  John  Davis  delivered  an  address  by  request  of  the 
town. 


*  In  Barton's  "  Epitaphs  from  the  Cemetery  on  Worcester  Common,"  it  is  stated  that  Mr.  Rice 
wag  the  first  school  teacher  of  the  town,  having  been  appointed  in  April,  1726.  He  also  served  as 
Town  Clerk,  Representative  to  the  General  Court  and  as  one  of  the  Judges  for  the  Inferior  Court 
for  Worcester.    Hie  son  Adonijah  was  the  first  male  child  born  in  Worcester. 


128  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

The  Old  Court-House. 

Another  ancient  building,  standing  on  Trumbull  Square  and 
now  occupied,  by  Mrs.  George  A.  Trumbull,  was  formerly  the 
Court-House,  and  located  on  Court  Hill.  It  was  erected  in 
1751,  to  take  the  place  of  that  built  in  1733,  which  was  found 
too  small  for  the  purposes  of  the  county.  The  size  of  the 
new  one  was  thirty-six  by  foi-ty  feet,  and  it  was  for  about  fift}^ 
years  occupied  by  the  Courts. 

It  was  this  buildinsj  that  the  insuro-ents,  to  the  number  of 
three  hundred  or  more,  took  possession  of  in  1786,  defj^ing  the 
Court  and,  with  bayonets  charged,  preventing  its  entrance.  The 
Chief  Justice,  Artemas  Ward,  did  not  retire  even  when  the 
soldiers  advanced  and  pressed  their  baj^onets  against  his  breast, 
but  remonstrated  with  the  commander  of  the  insurgents  for  some 
time,  after  which  the  Court  was  finally  obliged  to  witlidraw  tr^ 
the  United  States  Arms  tavern  when  it  was  adjourned  till  the 
next  day. 

In  October,  1763,  just  before  the  South  Meeting-House  was 
so  far  advanced  in  its  construction  as  to  admit  ot  occupancy, 
a  town  meeting  was  held  in  the  Court-House  (the  old  Meetings 
House  had  probably  been  taken  down),  and  at  a  later  period  it 
was  occupied  for  religious  purposes  on  Sundays,  by  the  Second 
Parish  (Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft),  while  their  own  house  was  in  pro- 
cess of  erection. 

The  removal  to  its  present  location,  about  the  year  1803, 
drawn  by  eighty  yoke  of  oxen,  was  considered  a  great  under- 
taking at  the  time.  For  a  brief  period  after  its  removal,  it  was 
occupied  by  an  English  lady,  who  kept  a  fashionable  school  for 
young  ladies. 

The  Court-House  was  originally  a  one-story  building,  with  a 
high  room  having  an  arched  ceiling.  It  was  raised  from  the 
street  about  five  or  six  feet,  with  a  flight  of  steps  at  the  front 
entrance,  and  the  door  opened  directly  into  tlie  court-room. 
Under  the  building  was  a  space  where  the  gallows  and  pillory 
were  kept.  The  necessity  for  a  new  and  more  commodious  room 
was  thus  referred  to  in  the  "  Spy  "  of  June  18,  1800 : — 

*'  The  Court  House  in  this  place  is  pronounced  by  every  person  to  be  too 
small  and  very  inconvenieut  and  altogether  unlit  to  transact  the  business  of 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  129 

the  county.  Durinf?  the  very  warm  weather  last  week  the  house  was  found 
intolerable,  and  persons  necessarily  attending  were  compelled  frequently  to 
leave  it  to  prevent  suffocation." 

It  was  occupied  soon  after  its  removal  by  Dr.  Joseph 
Trurabull,  father  of  tlie  late  George  A.  Trumbull,  and  has 
continued  in  the  possession  of  the  family  ever  since. 

In  this  house  is  a  tine  portrait  of  Di.  Trumbull;  also  one  of 
Samuel  Paine,  a  Worcester  loyalist;  both  of  which  were  painted 
in  London. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  present  brick  Court-House  was  laid 
Thursday,  October  1,  1801,  and  it  was  completed  in  September, 

1803. 

King's  Arms  Tavern.. 

Among  the  decorations  of  the  Lincoln  House,  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Elm  streets,  on  the  occasion  of  the  4:th  of  July  cele- 
bration, was  a  placard  inscribed  : — 

"  This  spot  marks  the  location  of  the  King's  Arms  Tavern.  The  towns- 
people compelled  the  keeper  to  take  down  the  sign,  when  it  was  burned  in 
the  street." 

"  Lafayette  was  the  guest  of  Governor  Lincoln  at  a  house  which  formerly 
stood  on  this  spot,  in  Sept.,  1824." 

As  early  as  1732  this  tavern  was  kept  by  Capt.  Thomas 
Sterne,  and  after  his  death,  in  1772,  by  his  widow,  Mary  Sterne, 
who  remained  there  till  her  death,  in  1781.  Before  tlie  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  was  passed,  it  was  the  resort  of  the  loyalists 
of  the  town,  and  the  place  where  they  prepared  and  signed  the 
famous  protest  of  1771,  an  account  of  which  has  been  given  on 
another  page. 

In  August  of  the  same  year,  the  "Worcester  County  Conven- 
tion, or  Congress  of  the  Committees  of  Correspondence,  held 
two  sessions  in  this  tavern,  but,  "by  reason  of  the  straitness  of 
the  place,  and  the  number  attending"  it  was  adjourned  to  the 
County  Court-House. 

The  occasion  referred   to   above,  when   the   sign  bearing  the 

royal   arms  was  taken  down   and  destroyed,  was   on  the  first 
17 


130  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

celebration  of  the  adoption  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
in  1776,  a  report  of  which,  from  the  "  Massachusetts  Spy,"  is 
given  on  a  preceding  page. 

Upon  this  site,  the  late  Governor  Levi  Lincoln  erected  a 
dwelling  house,  wliich  is  now  a  part  of  the  hotel  known  as  the 
Lincoln  House.  Here,  in  1824,  General  Lafayette  was  the  guest 
of  Mr.  Lincoln  (then  called  Judge  Lincoln,  he  having  received 
an  appointment  to  the  Bench  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court  a 
few  months  before). 

The  papers  of  the  day  state  that  Lafayette  arrived  in  Wor- 
cester on  Friday,  September  3d,  1824,  having  been  received  at 
t\\e  West  Boylston  line  by  an  escort  of  'cavalry,  under  command 
of  Capt.  James  Estabrook,  and  that  Judge  Lincoln  met  him  at  the 
north  part  of  the  town  in  a  barouche  drawn  by  four  gray  horses. 
At  Clark's  tavern,  a  mile  or  two  from  the  village,  a  regiment  of 
Light  Infantry,  under  Lieut.-Col.  AVard,  was  added  to  the  escort. 
At  the  entrance  to  Dr.  William  Paine's  estate,  on  Lincoln  street, 
an  arch  of  flags  was  erected  over  the  street ;  another  over  Court 
Hill,  decorated  by  the  ladies  of  the  town.  The  children  of  the 
public  schools  were  arranged  on  each  side  of  the  street  at  this 
point,  and  threw  branches  of  laurel  before  the  carriage  of 
Lafayette.  Another  arch  of  flags  was  erected  on  Main  street 
near  the  Worcester  Bank.  On  the  arrival  of  the  procession 
at  Judge  Lincoln's  house,  the  Judge,  in  behalf  of  the  Committee 
of  Arrangements,  delivered  an  address  of  welcome,  which  v/as 
responded  to  by  the  General. 

There  is  but  little  to  be  found,  either  in  the  newspapers  or 
elsewhere,  in  regard  to  the  King's  Arms  Tavern,  and  the  date 
of  its  erection,  as  well  as  of  its  disappearance,  is  involved  in 
doubt. 

The  United  States  Arms. 

This  building,  now  known  as  the  Exchange  Hotel,  was  built 
sometime  during  the  war  of  the  Kevolution,  by  Mr.  Nathan 
Patch,  one  of  the  active  and  energetic  business  men  of  Worcester, 
and  he  was  its  flrst  landlord.  Originally,  it  was  a  two-story 
building,  of  not  more  than  half  its  present  size,  and  for  many 
years  was  considered  the  best  tavern  in  the  place. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  131 

It  was  afterwards  kept  by  Capt.  William  Barker,  and  he  was 
succeeded  in  1807  by  Col.  Reuben  Sikes,  one  of  the  founders  of  a 
line  of  stages  between  Boston  and  Hartford,  who  made  many 
improvements  to  tlie  house,  adding;  a  hall  on  the  north  side. 
Capt.  Samuel  B.  Thomas  succeeded  Col.  Sikes  about  the  year 
1824,  and  while  in  his  hands  the  third  story  and  a  portico  were 
added. 

This  building  possesses  historical  interest  from  having  been  the 
scene  of  many  of  the  prominent  events  in  the  so-called  "  Shays 
Rebellion."  In  September,  1786,  tlie  Court  of  Common  Pleas, 
Chief  Justice  Artemas  Ward  x^i'esiding,  met  at  the  United  States 
Arms  and  opened  tlie  Court,  as  they  were  prevented  from 
entering  the  Court-House  by  a  body  of  armed  men,  under 
Capt.  Adam  Wheeler,  of  Hubbardston,  who  had  gathered  there 
to  prevent  the  opening.  In  ^November  following,  another 
attempt  was  made  to  hold  the  Court,  but  it  was  again  con- 
vened at  the  United  States  Arms,  being  still  prevented  by  the 
insurc^ents  from  enterino;  the  Court-House. 

The  resistance  to  the  holding  of  the  courts  in  Worcester  county 
was  continued  till  December,  1786,  when  the  Court  was  obliged 
to  convene  at  the  Sun  Tavern ;  *  but  adjourned  in  conformity  to 
instructions  from  the  Governor,  to  the  23d  of  January  following. 
The  insurgents,  however,  not  being  aware  of  the  adjournment, 
met  in  Worcester  early  in  December,  in  large  numbers,  and  made 
their  head  quarters  at  the  United  States  Arms.  Two  companies 
of  the  Worcester  militia  were  ordered  out,  and,  after  forming  in 
front  of  the  Old  South  Church,  marched  down  Main  street  to 
the  tavern,  where  they  found  the  insurgents  drawn  across  the 
street  to  receive  them.  The  order  being  given  the  militia  to 
charge  bayonets,  they  advanced  towards  their  opponents,  who 
did  not  stop  to  receive  them,  but  wheeled  and  took  a  position  on 
Court  Hill ;  the  militia  marched  on  to  the  Hancock  Arms,  beyond 
Lincoln  Square,  and  then  returned  to  their  quarters. 

The  rebellion  was  soon  after  suppressed,  many  of  the  insur- 
gents suffering  great  hardships  in  their  flight  from  Worcester, 
which  took  place  during  a  severe  snow  storm.     A  full  account  of 


♦  In  1786  the  Sun  Tavern  was  on  Main,  near  Elm  street,  where  the  Lincoln  House  now  stands,  and 
was  kept  by  Capt.  John  Sowers.     Before  the  Revolution  it  was  called  the  King's  Arms. 


132  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

the  action   of  the   insurgents  in   Worcester,  and    of  the  causes 
which  led  to  the  insurrection,  is  given  in  Liucohi's  History. 

In  October,  1789,  President  Washington  passed  through 
Worcester,  and  was  at  the  United  States  Arms,  where  he 
remained  a  few  hours  and  took  breakfast.  He  was  escorted 
from  the  Leicester  line  by  a  number  of  prominent  citizens  on 
horseback  ;  and,  on  his  arrival  in  town,  the  bells  were  rung  and 
a  salute  of  eleven  guns  fired.  At  his  departure,  another  salute 
was  fired  and  he  was  again  escorted,  by  the  gentlemen  who 
received  him,  as  far  as  the  town  of  Marlborough. 

The  Hancock  Arms,  just  alluded  to,  was  located  on  the  west 
side  of  Lincoln  street,  not  far  from  the  present  Lincoln  Square 
station  of  the  Worcester  and  Nashua  Railroad.  Here  tlie  Shays 
insurrectionists  made  their  head-quarters  in  December,  1786;  and 
in  early  times  it  was  a  famous  resort  for  the  wits  and  wags  of  the 
town,  and  was  often  the  place  of  meeting  of  the  ''  American 
Political  Society."  Li  1788,  it  had  for  a  sign,  a  portrait  of  Gov. 
Hancock,  and  was  kept  by  Mr.  Luke  Brown.  It  was  destroyed 
by  an  incendiary  fire,  December  24,  1824:. 

The  Paine  House,  on  Lincoln  Street. 

This  ancient  house,  located  on  the  west  side  of  Lincoln  street, 
north  of  the  terminus  of  the  street  railway,  was  raised  just 
before  the  revolutionary  war,  but  not  completed  till  afterwards, 
and  was  formerly  known  as  '"•  The  Oaks."  Timothy  Paine,  wlio 
came  to  Worcester  with  his  father,  Nathaniel  Paine,  of  Bristol, 
in  1738,  purchased  the  farm  in  1759  and  built  tlie  main  part  of 
the  present  house.  He  and  his  sons,  William  and  Samuel, 
were  loyalists,  he  beinoj  one  of  the  Mandamus  Councillors 
appointed  l>y  the  King  in  1774.  So  great  was  the  excitement 
upon  political  matters  at  that  time,  that  the  indignation  against 
any  one  who  accepted  an  ofiice  from  the  King  was  very  decided, 
and  Mr.  Paine's  case  proved  no  exception,  notwithstanding  the 
high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  l)y  his  fellow-citizens.  He  was 
obliged  not  only  to  resign  his  ofiice  but  to  read  his  resignation  to 
a  large  number  of  the  inhabitants,  who  had  gathered  on  the 
Common  to  hear  it.     He  then  lived  in  a  house  on  the  west  side 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  133 

of  Lincoln  street,  and  a  few  rods  north  of  the  Hancock  Arms. 
It  is  said  that  in  the  early  days  of  the  Revolution,  some  American 
soldiers  were  quartered  at  this  house,  and  manifested  their  feel- 
ings towards  its  owner  by  cutting  the  throat  of  his  full-length 
portrait. 

Notwithstanding  his  royalist  ideas,  Mr.  Paine  was  much 
respected  and  honored  by  his  fellow-citizens,  and  held  many 
important  offices.  He  was  Town  Clerk  from  1753  to  1763, 
Register  of  Deeds,  1761  to  1778,  member  of  the  Executive 
Council  of  the  Province,  from  1766  to  1773,  and  for  many  years 
represented  the  town  at  the  General  Court.  He  died  at  Wor- 
cester, July  17,  1793. 

Dr.  William  Paine,  left  Worcester  before  the  commencement 
of  hostilities,  going  to  England,  where,  in  1775,  he  received  the 
appointment  of  apothecary  to  the  British  army,  and  afterwards 
served  in  America.  In  October,  1782,  he  was  appointed  by  Sir 
Guy  Carleton,  physician  to  his  Majesty's  hospitals  in  Korth 
America,  and,  for  awhile,  was  stationed  at  Halifax.  After  the 
war  he  returned  to  Worcester  and  for  many  years  practised  his 
profession.  He  was  one  of  the  original  corporators  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society  and  its  first  Yice-President.  He 
died  in  Worcester,  April  19,  1833. 

Samuel  Paine  left  Worcester  a  few  weeks  after  the  attack 
on  Concord  and  Lexington,  having  been  arrested  by  order 
of  tlie  town,  and  sent  to  Cambridge  or  Watertown.  He  soon 
escaped,  and  went  into  Boston,  where  he  was  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  durins^  the  sieo;e.  At  the  evacuation 
of  Boston  by  the  British,  he  went  to  England,  and  remained 
there  for  several  years,  receiving  a  pension  from  the  British 
Government.     He   died   in   Worcester,  June  10,  1807. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Paine  estate  was  on  the  list  for 
confiscation  during  the  war,  but  this  is  undoubtedly  an  error,  as 
there  appears  to  be  no  record  to  confirm  it.  The  house  is 
probably  one  of  the  oldest  now  standing  in  Worcester,  and  has 
since  its  erection  been  occupied  by  five  generations  of  the  same 
family. 

The  Dix  House. 

The  old  mansion  standing  on  Main  street,  nearly  opposite  the 


134  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

head  of  School  street,  and  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Samuel  Davis, 
was  for  several  years  the  residence  of  Dr.  Elijah  Dix,  physician 
and  apothecary.  He  was  apprenticed  in  1765,  for  three  years, 
to  Dr.  John  Green,  senior,  "  to  learn  the  art  of  physick  and 
chirurgery,"  and  then  began  practice  in  Worcester,  having 
his  office  and  store  in  a  building  a  little  south  of  his  house.  Dr. 
Dix  was  a  very  public-spirited  citizen,  and  took  great  interest  in 
ever^^thing  that  conduced  to  the  prosperity  of  the  town.  He 
was  an  active  mover  in  the  building  of  the  AYorcester  and 
Boston  turnpike,  which,  at  the  time,  was  considered  to  be  a  great 
advantage  to  the  travelling  public.  In  1784,  Dr.  Dix  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  formation  of  a  joint-stock  company  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  school-house  in  the  central  part  of  the  town, 
consisting,  besides  himself,  of  Levi  Lincoln,  Joseph  Allen,  John 
Green,  Nathan  Patch,  Palmer  Goulding  and  others.  Their  object 
was  to  have  a  more  suitable  building  than  the  ordinary  town 
school-hoQse,  where  an  academy  or  school  could  be  kept  for  the 
benefit  of  their  children,  and  also  in  the  hope  that  there  might 
be  a  greater  interest  in  the  education  of  the  young.  A  building 
was  erected  on  a  large  open  lot  on  the  west  side  of  Main  street, 
just  south  of  Hobbs's  block,  which  was,  in  1801,  sold  to  the  town, 
and  for  many  years  was  known  as  the  Centre  School-house. 

Most  of  the  large  and  beautiful  elm  trees  which  have  been' 
such  an  ornament  to  Main  street  were  planted  by,  or  at  the 
suggestion  of,  Dr.  Dix,  but  unfortunately,  the  modern  ideas  of 
improvement  have  caused  most  of  them  to  be  cut  down.  He 
removed  to  Boston  in  1795,  where  he  built  and  opened  a  large 
drug  store  on  the  south  side  of  Faneuil  Hall.  It  was  in  the 
garden  of  Dr.  Dix  in  Boston,  that  the  pear,  so  long  and  favorably 
known  to  horticulturists  by  his  name,  originated. 

The  most  interesting  fact,  however,  that  can  be  mentioned  in 
regard  to  this  house  and  its  occupants  is,  that  it  was  the  home, 
at  one  time,  of  some  of  the  immediate  family  of  Dr.  Joseph 
Warren,  who  was  killed  at  Bunker  Hill.  It  is  the  tradition 
that  they  occupied  the  house  from  a  short  time  before  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill  till  after  the  evacuation  of  Boston.  A  former 
occupant  *  of  the  house  states  that  upon  a  pane  of  glass  in  one 

*  Mr.  Clareudon  Harris. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  135 

of  the  chamber  windows,  the  name  of  Mercy  Scollay  was  written 
with  a  diamond.  This  lad}^,  it  will  be  remembered,  w^as  said  to 
have  been  betrothed  to  Gen.  Warren  for  his  second  wife,  and 
after  his  deatii  she  had  for  a  time  the  care  of  his  three  younger 
children. 

[Since  writing  the  foregoing  we  have  received  through  the  kindness 
of  Prof  E.  H.  Leffingwell,  of  Xew  Haven,  Conn.,  extracts  from  four 
letters  written  by  General  Warren  to  Dr.  Dix,  in  relation  to  the  occu- 
pancy of  this  house  by  the  family  of  Warren.  These  extracts  are 
confirmatory  of  the  tradition  we  have  alluded  to,  and  also  fix  with 
more  certainty,  the  time  when  the  family  came  to  Worcester.  A  letter 
addressed  to  Miss  Mercy  Scollay  is  also  quoted,  and  confirms  our  sup- 
position that  she  was  in  Worcester  with  the  children  of  Dr.  Warren.] 

Prof.  Leffingwell  states  the  substance  of  these  letters  as  follows: 

First  Letter. 

BosTOX,  February  2i,  1775. 

"  I  must  request  you  to  have  the  house  you  mentioned  ready  to  receive 
some  of  my  goods  in  three  or  four  days."  He  expressed  a  wish,  that  if  the 
goods  should  arrive  before  any  of  his  family,  they  should  be  taken  care  of,  as 
the  trunks  and  chests  contain  things  of  the  greatest  value  to  him.  He  begs 
that  the  matter  may  be  kept  secret,  and  that  after  his  people  arrive,  it  may 
"not  be  known  what  family  they  belong  to,  until  he  follows  them. 


Second  Letter. 

Boston,  April  10,  1775. 

He  states  that  many  of  fhis  goods  are  out  of  town,  and  desires  him  to  hire 
two  wagons  and  send  thom  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Mary  Warren,  in  Roxbury,  to 
take  as  many  of  his  goods  as  they  can  carry. 

He  hopes  that  his  children  and  family  will  arrive  at  Worcester  by  next 
Thursday  night,  April  13,  1775,  and  desires  him  to  give  them  the  best  direc- 
tions in  his  power. 


Third  Letter. 

Cambridge,  May  10,  1775. 

Eequests  him  to  call  on  Miss  Scollay,  at  his  house  in  Worcester,  and  ask 
her  to  give  a  reasonable  reward  to  the  bearer  for  carting  up  one  load  of  his 
goods. 


136  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

Fourth  Letter. 

Cambridge,  May  10. 

To  Ms  dear  friend,  Miss  Mercy  Scollay :  — 

Acknowledges  receipt  of  her  letter,  and  is  happj'-in  hearing  that  she  and  the 
family  are  all  in  health.  Says  the  "young  gentlemen"  told  him  that  Dr.  Dix 
wanted  to  be  informed  respecting  the  sowing  of  some  wheat.  Says  he  shall 
acquiesce  with  thankfulness  in  his  (Dw  Dix's)  judgment,  and  wishes  him  to 
hire  ten  or  twelve  acres  more  of  land,  as  he  shall  keep  several  horses,  and 
cannot  think  of  being  deprived  of  indulging  himself  in  the  pleasures  of  agFi- 
culture.  Desires  him  to  direct  in  the  matter  of  repairs,  agreeably  to  his  own 
taste,  as  he  know^s  he  should  like  it,  and  wishes  to  be  remembered  in  the 
most  affectionate  manner  to  all  friends. 


Fifth   Letter. 

Cambridge,  May  13,  1775. 

States  that  your  (Dr.  Dix)  many  kindnesses  have  made  the  strongest  im- 
pressions of  gratitude  on  his  mind,  and  while  he  has  not  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  acknowledge  them,  hopes  that  within  a  fortnight  he  may  pay  his 
respects  to  him  and  his  lady.  Says  that  Miss  Scollay  mentions  their  (Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Dix's)  goodness  in  the  strongest  terms.  Would  be  glad  if  he  (Dr.  D.) 
could  hire  twenty  or  thirty  acres  more  of  land,  near  the  house,  as  he  must 
keep  three  or  four  horses,  and  wants  to  have  something  of  a  farm. 

Expresses  the  Avish,  that  as  he  has  so  many  applications  for  labor  from 
miserable  fugitives  who  have  fled  from  Boston,  he  would  gladly  provide  for 
them.  He  therefore  wishes  that  the  men  and  women  in  the  house  may  be 
provided  with  accommodations  elsewhere.  Closes  the  letter  with  "  any  sum 
of  money  that  you  may  want  for  your  private  use,  pray  take." 

I  have  also  a  letter  of  Dr.  John  Warren,  addressed  to  Dr.  Jonas  Dix,  Wor- 
cester, dated  Cambridge,  June  30,  1775,  in  which  he  says,  that  understanding 
that  Dr.  D.  has,  in  some  measure,  the  care  of  his  deceased  brother's  family, 
and  not  being  able  to  have  a  personal  interview  with  him  at  that  time,  he  begs 
hiin  to  take  all  possible  care  to  render  them  comfortable,  and  prevent  their 
being  in  want  of  anything  necessar3^  Says  that  as  soon  as  he  has  leisure,  he 
will  repair  to  Worcester,  in  order  to  flx  matters  upon  a  firmer  basis.  He 
holds  himself  and  brothers  responsible  to  Dr.  Dix,  for  all  necessary  charges 
he  may  be  at. 

[There  is  also  an  account,  unsigned,  dated  April,  1775,  Dr.  Joseph 
Warren  to  Elijah  Dix,  Dr.,  for  £30  12s.  3J<:?.,  and  appears  to  be  for 
repairs  on  the  house.  A  memorandum,  written  and  signed  by  Dr.  Dix, 
endorsed  "  3Iem.  to  be  annexed  to  Dr.  J.  Warrens  account.''  This 
is  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  have  not  charged  any  rent,  as  Dr.  Joseph  Warren  had  agreed  with  me  to 
purchase  the  farm,  —  came  to  a  price,  —  and  was  to  finish  the  bargain  by 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  137 

taking  a  deed,  when  he  came  up  to  Worcester,  and  desired  me  to  make  repairs 
upon  his  account,  which  repairs  were  not  of  more  real  value  to  me  than  his 
improvement  of  the  house,  and  was  worth  to  me,  from  the  time  his  family- 
entered  it,  until  they  quitted  the  same,  including  a  pasture  of  twenty  acres,  I 
hired,  by  his  order,  for  his  use,  which  cost  me  six  pounds ;  also  have  not 
made  any  charge  for  my  personal  service  in  taking  care  of,  and  providing  for, 

the  family." 

(Signed)  ELIJAH  DIX. 

[There  is  also   a  bill  of  Palmer  Goulding,   who,  from  its  contents, 
I  suppose  was  a  shoemaker.] 

"  1775.     Dr.  Elijah  Dix  to  pay  for  sundry s  d'd  Doctor  Joseph  Warren's 
Tamely:  — 

June  26.    To  one  pare  for  the  negro  man     ....         8s. 

to  one  pare  for  the  Dafter is.  Ad. 

to  the  sons  3s.  Sd.,  to  the  child  2s.  8d. 

July    6.      to  mending  one  small  pare Ad. 

Sept.  22.     2  pare  for  Betsey 6s.  Ad. 


The  BALDwm  House. 

This  house  stands  on  Main  street,  at  the  foot  of  Greorge  street, 
and,  one  hundred  years  ago,  was  the  residence  of  Kathan  Bald- 
win, who  came  to  Worcester  from  Medford  in  1756,  and 
became  one  of  the  most  respected  and  prominent  men  in 
the  town.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  "  American 
Political  Society  "  and  chairman  of  the  committee  which  framed 
its  constitution  and  by-laws.  Mr.  Baldwin  was  an  active  poli- 
tician, and  a  friend  of  Col.  Timothy  Bigelow  and  other  noted 
patriots  of  that  day.  An  examination  of  the  town  records  and 
the  history  of  Worcester  shows  that  he  was  a  most  energetic 
citizen,  and  was  the  recipient  of  many  important  trusts  from  his 
fellow-townsmen. 

As  a  member  of  a  committee  appointed  in  May,  1766,  to  pre- 
pare instructions  to  Ephraim  Doolittle,  the  representative  to  the 
General  Court,  he  became  the  author  of  resolutions  which  con- 
tained the  earliest  expression  on  the  records  of  the  town,  of  the 
revolutionary  feeling  against  the  royal  government. 

He  was  considered  the  ablest  writer  of  the  patriotic  party, 
and  prepared  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the  town  in  1774, 
to  which  we  have  previously  referred,  and  against  which  the 
18 


138  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

famous  loyalist  protest  was  made.     He  was  Selectman  in  1770, 
Town  Clerk  in  1775,  and  for  several  years  Register  of  Deeds. 

This  house  was  occupied  for  many  years  by  William  Eaton,  a 
grandson  of  Adonijah  Rice.  Mr.  Eaton  died  in  1859,  at  the  ripe 
age  of  92.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  town  affairs  up  to  the 
last  year  of  his  life,  and  his  erect  form  as  he  walked  the  streets 
was  familiar  to  many  of  our  citizens.  He  held  various  offices 
in  the  gift  of  the  town,  among  them  that  of  a  Selectman,  for 
eight  years,  and  a  Representative  to  the  General  Court  for  about 
the  same  time. 


Note. — Besides  the  authorities  quoted  from  in  these  notes,  there 
have  been  many  valuable  suggestions  received  from  a  series  of  his- 
torical papers,  pubUshed  in  the  "Worcester  Palladium"  in  1855,  and 
republished  in  the  same  paper  in  LS57-58  and  1874,  under  the  title  of 
"Carl's  Tour  in  Main  Street."  These  very  interesting  and  valuable 
contributions  to  the  history  of  W^orcester  were  prepared  for  the  press 
by  the  late  Hon.  John  S.  C.  Knowlton.  They  will  prove  of  great  use 
to  the  future  historian  of  Worcester,  giving,  as  they  do,  many  details  in 
regard  to  prominent  citizens,  and  the  location  of  public  and  private 
buildings  in  Worcester  a  generation  ago,  which  cannot  be  found  else- 
where. Mr.  Knowlton  was  assisted  in  collecting  the  material  for  the 
series,  by  the  late  Clarendon  Wheelock. 


CHRONOLOGICAL     LIST     OF     IMPORTANT    EVENTS     IN    THE      HISTORY      OF 
WORCESTER,    PREVIOUS    TO    THE    WAR    OF    THE    REVOLUTION. 


1657.     The  first  grant  of  laud  within  the  limits  of  the  present  boundaries  of 

this  town  was  made. 
1668.     In  October,  laud  was  granted  to   Daniel   Gookin   aud   others,  and  a 

committee  was  empowered  to  lay  out  a  town. 
1673-4.    First   settlement  made  in  1674.      John  Eliot,  the    "Apostle  to  the 

Indians,"  visited  the  Indian  town  Pakachoag,  near  the  present  site 

of  the  College  of  the  Holy  Cross. 
1675.     Settlement  abandoned,  in  consequence  of  trouble  with  the  Indians. 
1684.     Town  resettled,  and  incorporated  in  October  of  that  year. 
1702.     Again  abandoned,  by  reason  of  the  hostility  and  depredations  of  the 

Indians. 

1713.  Permanent  settlement  eflfected.     Jonas  Eice  came  to  the  settlement 

with  family,  aud  remained  there  without  other  families  about  two 
years.  "  He  settled  on  a  farm  on  the  cross  road  leading  from  the 
Sutton  to  the  Grafton  road,'  and  was  joined  by  his  brothers 
Gershom  and  James,  and  others,  with  their  families,  in  the  Spring  of 
1715."  * 

1714.  First  male  child  born  ;  son  of  Jonas  Rice. 

1715.  First   death    in    the  town   after  the   settlement    of    1713    (Jonathan 

Hubbard). 

1716.  First  building  for  the  purpose  of  public  worship  erected. 

1722.  First  town  meeting  held,  in  September,  by  special  order  of  the  General 
Court. 

1731.  The  County  of  Worcester  created  and  Worcester  made  the  shire  town. 
The  first  Probate  Court  in  the  County  held  in  the  Meeting-House 
July  13,  and  the  first  Court  of  Common  Pleas  held  August  10.  The 
first  Supreme  Court  of  Judicature  held  September  22. 

1740.     The  first  School-House  built  by  the  town,  at  north  end  of  Main  Street. 

1763.     The  present  Old  South  Church  erected. 

1765.  Vote  of  the  town  instructing  its  representative  to  join  in  no  measure 
countenancing  the  Stamp  Act. 

1774.  Militia  Companies  marched  from  Worcester  as  far  as  Shrewsbury,  on 
their  way  to  Boston,  it  having  been  reported  that  a  body  of  the 
King's  troops  had  made  an  incursion  into  the  county  to  capture 
gunpowder. 


MS.  Notes  of  WilUam  Lincoln. 


140  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

1775.  April  19th.     One  hundred  and  ten  men,  under  Capt.  Timothy  Bigelow 

and  Capt.  Benjamin  Flagg,  marched  for  the  seat  of  war  on  the 
news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  being  received.  The  news  of  the 
battle  was  received  in  Worcester,  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  day  succeeding  the  march  of  the  British  troops  from  Boston. 
The  minute  men  marched  at  once,  mailing  their  first  halt  at  Shrews- 
bury, where  they  received  orders  to  proceed  immediately,  and  they 
reached  Watertown  at  day-break  the  next  morning.* 

1776.  Sunday,  July  14.     Declaration  of  Independence  read  by  Isaiah  Thomas 

from  the  porch  of  South  Meeting-House. 


CELEBRATIONS  IN  WORCESTER   ON  THE  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE 
DECLARATION      OF      INDEPENDENCE. 

The  orations  designated  by  a  *  have  been  printed. 


1776.  The  first  celebration  of  the  adoption  of  the  Declaration  of  independ- 
ence, in  Worcester,  was  on  Mondaj^  July  22d,  1776,  an  account  of 
which,  taken  from  the  "Massachusetts  Spy,"  is  given  on  a  previous 
page. 

1779.  The  second  celebration  (so  far  as  can  be  learned  from  the  newspapers  of 
the  day),  took  place  in  1779.  The  "  Spy"  reports  that,  the  4th  of  July 
coming  on  Sunday,  the  celebration  was  postponed  till  Thursday  the 
8th,  at  which  time  "the  day  was  ushered  in  by  the  ringing  of  bells, 
the  firing  of  cannon  and  a  display  of  the  Continental  flag;  at  twelve 
o'clock  thirteen  cannon  were  fired  ;  in  the  evening  the  Court  House 
was  illuminated,  thirteen  rockets  were  fired,  and  a  display  of  other 
fireworks ;  greatly  to  the  satisfaction  of  many  respectable  and 
staunch  friends  to  the  common  cause  of  our  nation,  who  were 
assembled  at  the  Court  House  from  this  and  the  adjacent  towns. 
Mutual  congratulations  were  given  and  a  number  of  toasts  suitable 
to  the  occasion  were  drank." 

1789.  There  was  a  military  celebration,  with  a  procession,   composed  of  a 

Company  of  Horse,  commanded  by  Capt.  Drury,  of  Lqicester;  the 
Worcester  Train  of  Artillery,  commanded  by  Capt.  John  Stanton ; 
and  the  two  Infantry  Companies  of  the  town,  all  under  command  of 
Major  [Phinehas]  Jones. 

1790.  By  the  Worcester  Artillery  Co.,  which  fired  a  salute  on  Court-House 

Hill,  and  had  a  dinner  at  Mower's  tavern. f 
1791.*  Military  celebration  by  the  four  companies  of  the  town.     An  oration 
by  Edward  Bangs,  and  an  original  ode,  written  for  the  occasion. 


*  MS.  notes  of  William  Lincoln,  in  possession  of  the  American  Antlfjuarian  Society. 
tCapt.  Epliraim   Mower's  tavern  was  at  tiie  corner  of  Mecbauic  street,  near  tlie  spot  where 
Clark's  Block  now  stands. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  141 

1792.  Civic  and  military  celebratiou,  with  a  dinner  at  Heywood's  tavern,  at 

which  fourteen  patriotic  toasts   were   drunk,  with  a  discharge  of 
cannon  after  each.* 

1793.  Artillery  Company  paraded  and  partook  of  a  repast  at  Capt.  Heywood's, 

and  fired  a  salute  of  fifteen  guns. 

1795.*  Oration  by  Joseph  Allen,  Jr.,  at  the  South  Meeting-House.  The  usual 
dinner  took  place,  with  toasts,  accompanied  by  firing  of  cannon. 

1796.*  Oration  at  the  South  Church  by  Francis  Blake,  of  Rutland.  The 
dinner  at  Mower's  tavern,  at  which  sixteen  toasts  were  given, 
accompanied  by  a  discharge  of  artillery  after  each. 

1797.*  Oration  by  Dr.  Oliver  Fiske.  Civic  and  military  celebration,  with  the 
usual  dinner.  The  Worcester  Train  of  Artillery  also  partook  of  a 
supper  at  Capt.  Heywood's  inn,  and,  according  to  the  "  Massa- 
chusetts Spy,"  "  the  anniversary  was  closed  with  decent  Hilarity." 

1798.*  Oration  by  Rev.  Samuel  Austin,  with  the  usual  military  procession 
and  dinner.  After  the  oration,  the  celebrated  song,  ^^  Adams  and 
Liberty,"  was  sung  with  great  applause. 

1799.  An  oration  was  expected  from  Pelatiah  Hitchcock,  of  Brookfield ;  but, 
on  his  way  from  that  place  the  orator  was  seized  with  a  sudden 
sickness,  and  was  unable  to  reach  Worcester.  The  usual  dinner 
was  served  at  Mower's  Hall,  and  in  the  evening  the  Artillery  Com- 
pany had  a  supper  at  Capt.  Heywood's  tavern. 

1800.*  Oration  by  Edward  Bangs,  at  the  North  Meeting-House  (Dr.  Ban- 
croft's). 

1801.*  Oration  by  Isaac  Story,  of  Sterling. 

1802.*  Oration  by  Rev.  Zephaniah  Swift  Moore,  of  Leicester.  The  civic 
procession  was  escorted  by  Capt.  Healey's  Company  of  Artillery  to 
South  Meeting-House,  where  the  oration  was  delivered. 

1803.*  Oration,  delivered  at  the  South  Meeting-House,  by  John  William 
Caldwell. 

1804.*  Oration  by  William  Charles  White  of  Rutland. 

1805.*  Procession,  escorted  by  the  Artillery  Co.,  Capt.  Slater;  and  the 
Infantry  Co.,  Lieut.  Flagg.     Oration  by  Daniel  Waldo  Lincoln. 

1808.*  Procession,  escorted  to  South  Meeting-House  by  Artillery  Co.,  Capt. 
Curtis.     Oration  by  Major  Estes  Howe. 

1810.*  Civic  and  military  celebration.  Escort  by  the  Light  Infantry,  Capt. 
William  E.  Green.  Oration  by  Levi  Heywood.  Declaration  of 
Independence  read  by  Maj.  Levi  Lincoln. 

1811.*  Celebrated  by  the  young  men  of  the  town  between  the  ages  of  16  and 
21,  with  an  oration  by  John  W.  Hubbard,  at  the  South  Meeting- 
House. 


»Capt.  Daniel  Heywood's  inn  was  on  the  present  location  of  the  Bay  State  House. 


142  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

1812.*  Celebrated  by  the  Washington  Benevolent  Society,  with  a  procession 
escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry,  under  Capt.  John  W.  Lincoln ;  and  a 
dinner  in  a  building  erected  for  the  purpose  on  Federal  Hill. 
Oration  by  Hon.  Francis  Blake. 
Also  celebrated  by  the  Republicans.  A  procession,  escorted  by  the 
Worcester  Artillery.  Oration  by  Enoch  Lincoln,  and  an  ode  by 
Edward  D.  Bangs.  The  festivities  of  the  day  closed  with  a  display 
of  fireworks. 
1814.*  Celebration  by  the  Federal  Republicans,  escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry, 
Capt.  John  W.  Lincoln.  The  oration  by  Edwin  A.  White,  at  the 
North  Meeting-House.  Also  a  civic  procession,  escorted  by  the 
Artillery,  Capt.  Samuel  Graves.  Oration  at  South  Meeting-House  by 
Rejoice  Newton. 

1815.*  Republican  celebration,  with  a  dinner,  under  an  arbor  erected  in  front 
of  Captain  Slater's  house.     The  oration  by  Peleg  Sprague. 

1816.*  Celebrated  by  the  Federal  Republicans.  Oration  by  John  Davis,  at 
South  Meeting-House. 

1817.*  Oration  by  Piiny  Merrick,  Esq.    Ode  by  Edward  D.  Bangs. 

1818.*  A  procession,  escorted  by  the  Worcester  Light  Infantry;  an  oration 
by  Austin  Denny,  and  a  dinner  at  Hathaway's  Hall. 

1819.*  Republican  celebration.  A  procession,  escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry, 
Capt.  Sewall  Hamilton.  An  oration  by  Edward  D.  Bangs,  at  the 
South  Meeting-House. 

1820.  Republican  celebration.    A  procession,  escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry, 

Capt.  John  Coolidge.     An  oration  by  Charles  H.  Warren,  Esq. 

1821.  Republican  celebration,  with  an  address  by  Henry  Rogers  (editor  of 

the  '*  National  ^gis  "). 

1822.  No  regular  celebration  this  year.     An  address  was  delivered  to  a  small 

gathering  of  citizens  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Going. 

1823.  Democratic  celebration,  with  an  oration  by  Francis  B.    Stebbins,  at 

South  Meeting-House.  A  dinner,  presided  over  by  Otis  Corbctt,  in 
a  bower  near  the  hotel  of  Nathaniel  Eaton.  The  procession  was 
escorted  by  the  Worcester  Rifle  Corps,  Capt.  Nathaniel  Gates. 

1824.  A  procession,  escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry,  Capt.   Artemas    Ward, 

2d;  with  an  oration  by  William  Lincoln,  Esq.  A  dinner  was  served 
in  a  bower  on  land  of  Maj.  Samuel  Allen,  a  few  rods  east  of  the 
meeting-hoase. 

1825.  Celebration  by  the  Light  Infantry,  with  an  oration  by  Richard  Hampton 

Vose,  a  member  of  the  company. 

1826.  The  first  celebration  under  the  auspices  of  the  town  authorities.     An 

oration  was  delivered  by  Charles  Allen,  Esq,  A  dinner  was  served 
in  the  Town  Hall,  presided  over  by  Isaiah  Thomas,  with  music  by 
the  Worcester  Harmonic  Society,  Emory  Perry,  President.  The 
procession,  under  command  of  Brig.-Gen'l  Nathan  Heard,  was 
escorted  by  the  Worcester  Rifles,  Capt.  Thos.  Howe;  Worcester 
Artillery,  Capt.  Elijah  Flagg;  and  Worcester  Light  lufautry,  Capt. 
John  Whittemore. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  143 

1827.  Celebration  by  the  fraternity  of  Odd  Fellows,  with  an  oration  at  the 
North  Meeting-House,  by  Thomas  Kinnicutt,  Esq.,  and  a  poem  by 
Eichard  Hampton  Vose,  Esq.  After  the  exercises  in  the  meeting- 
house, there  was  a  dinner,  presided  over  by  Hon.  John  Davis. 

1829.  A  celebration  with  a  procession  of  citizens,  escorted  by  the  Provi- 

dence Light  Infimtry,  Capt.  Eield;  Leicester  Light  Infantry,  Capt. 
[Joseph  D.]  Sargent;  Worcester  Light  Infantry,  Capt.  Charles  A. 
Hamilton;  and  the  Worcester  Artillery,  Capt.  Leonard  W.  Stowell. 
Oration  by  Hon.  John  Davis,  and  an  ode  by  Emory  Washburn,  Esq. 

1830.  Citizens'  celebration,  with  a  procession,  under  the  direction  of  Gen- 

Nathan  Heard.  Oration  by  Peter  C.  Bacon,  Esq.  At  a  dinner,  after 
the  oration,  at  Capt.  Thomas's  Hotel,  the  followins  toast  was  pro- 
posed by  Isaac  Goodwin,  Esq.,  "  Our  venerable  townsman,  Isaiah 
Thomas,  Esq.,  ivho  first  promulgated  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
to  the  inhabitants  of  this  vicinity  from  the  church  and  press." 

1831.  Young  men's  celebration,  with  a  procession,  escorted  by  the  AYorcester 

Rifles.  An  oration  by  Edwin  Couant,  Esq.,  and  a  poem  by  Benj.  F. 
Thomas,  Esq.,  at  the  North  Meeting-House.  There  was  also  another 
procession  of  citizens,  escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry,  Capt.  William 
S.  Lincoln,  and  an  oration  by  Samuel  M.  Buruside. 

1832.  Celebration  by  the  Republicans  or  anti-Jackson  party,  with  an  oration 

by  George  Folsom,  Esq.  Procession,  under  Timothy  W.  Bancroft  as 
marshal,  escorted  by  the  Rifle  Co.  and  the  Light  Infantry,  Capt. 
Zenas  Studley,  at  the  South  meeting-house.  The  day  was  also 
celebrated  by  the  citizens  without  distinction  of  party,  with  an 
oration  by  Benjamin  F.  Thomas,  at  the  North  meeting-house. 
1833.*  Celebration  under  the  auspices  of  the  town  authorities.  A  procession 
escorted  by  the  Light  Infantry  and  the  Rifle  Company,  an  oration  by 
Edward  Everett.  An  oratorio  under  the  direction  of  Emory  Perry, 
was  given  in  the  evening,  also  a  grand  ball  at  Estab rook's  Hotel. 

1834.  Celebrated  by  the  Whigs.     An  oration  by  Franklin  Dexter,  of  Boston, 

at  the  brick  meeting-house  (Dr.  Bancroft's).  A  dinner  at  Worthing- 
ton  &  Clark's  (the  United  States  Hotel),  at  which  Levi  Lincoln 
presided. 

1835.  Celebration,  Monday,  July  6th,  on  the  completion  and  formal  opening 

of  the  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad.  A  procession,  composed  of 
about  300  citizens  of  Boston  and  vicinity,  escorted  by  citizens  of 
Worcester  and  the  Light  Infantry,  Capt.  Charles  H.  Geer.  A  collation 
was  served  at  the  Town  Hall,  at  which  Gov.  Levi  Lincoln  presided. 
Speeches  were  made  by  the  presiding  officer,  Hon.  Nathan  Hale, 
president  of  the  railroad  company,  Hon  Edward  Everett  and  others. 
During  the  collation,  about  500  ladies  were  given  an  excursion  to 
Westborough.  Hon.  Charles  Allen  was  chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  Arrangements. 

1836.  Celebrated  by  the  Whigs  of  the  town,  with  an  oration  by  Benjamin  F. 

Thomas,  Esq.  A  dinner  in  the  Town  Hall,  presided  over  by  Thomas 
Kinnicutt. 


144  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

1837.  A  celebration  by  the  Jackson  Democrats,  with  an  oration  by  Eobert 
Rantoul,  Jr. 

1839.  An  oration  was  delivered  by  "William  Lincoln,  at  New  AVorcester. 

1840.  A  Democratic    Celebration,    with    an  oration    by    Kev.    Orestes    A. 

Brownson. 
1844.     Celebration  by  the  Whigs,  with  speeches  from  several  gentlemen. 

1850.  A  celebration,  with  a  poem  by  Charles  Thurber. 

1851.  Free  Soil  Celebration,  with  an  oration  by  Hon.  John  P.  Hale. 
1853.     An  oration  by  Francis  Wayland,  Esq. 

1856.  An  oration  by  Homer  B.  Sprague  (printed  in  the  "Massachusetts 
Spy"),  and,  on  the  9th  of  July,  a  grand  Floral  Procession. 

1859.  A  grand  floral  procession. 

1860.  The  corner-stone  of  the  Free  Public  Library  was  laid,  and  addresses 

were  delivered  by  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Bullock,  Mayor  of  the  city,  and 
other  gentlemen. 

1865.  An  ovation  to  returned  soldiers.  A  trades'  procession ;  parade  of  the 
children  of  the  public  schools,  &c. 

1868.  Military  and  civic  procession.  The  military  organizations,  under 
command  of  Col.  Robert  H.  Chamberlain,  consisted  of  six  companies 
of  the  10th  Regiment,  M.  V.  M.,  the  State  Guard  (of  Worcester), 
Lieut.-Col.  David  M.  Woodward;  and  the  Highland  Cadets,  Capt. 
L.  G.  White  (from  the  Highland  Military  Academy  in  Worcester). 
The  fire  department  of  Worcester,  A.  B.  Lovell,  chief  engineer, 
formed  a  part  of  the  procession.  There  was  also  a  cavalcade,  con- 
sisting of  gentlemen  mounted,  and  driving  light  and  fancy  teams, 
and  draft  horses ;  in  all,  about  500  horses. 

187G.*  Military  and  Civic  Procession  in  the  morning,  and  a  grand  Trades' 
Procession  in  the  afternoon.  An  oration  by  Hon.  B.  F.  Thomas,  of 
Boston.  The  Worcester  Continentals,  an  independent  military 
organization,  dressed  in  the  style  of  the  Revolutionary  period,  made 
their  first  appearance  on  this  occasion. 


HISTORICAL  LOCALITIES.  145 

Since  the  last  pages  of  these  notes  came  from  the  press,  we  have 
been  favored,  through  the  kindness  of  Mr^,  Stephen  Salisbury,  with  a 
copy  of  an  original  letter,  addressed  to  his  father,  who  was  a  merchant 
in  Worcester  one  hundred  years  ago,  by  Col.  Timothy  Bigelow,  to 
whom  reference  has  been  made  in  the  early  pages  of  this  pamphlet. 

The  letter,  though  bearing  different  dates,  was  written  upon  one 
sheet  of  small-sized  letter  paper,  the  last  date  being  only  three  days 
before  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Burgoyne.  As  it  has  never  appeared  in 
print  before,  we  have  deemed  it  of  sufficient  interest  to  present  it 
here. 

"Camp  at  Stillwater,  Oct.  7,  1777. 

"  Sir,— I  arrived  in  camp  last  Saturday.  Nothing  of  importance  has  turned 
up  since,  except  a  small  skirmish  that  happened  yesterday  between  oar  piquet 
guard  and  the  enemie's,  when  the  latter  was  drove  to  their  lines.  We  had 
one  man  mortally  wounded,  and  three  others  slightly.  There  is  great  deser- 
tion from  the  enemy,  not  less  that  8  or  10  for  many  days  back,  mostly  Ger- 
mans.    The  enemy  are  strongly  fortifying  their  camp. 

"  I  am  much  pleased  at  ^finding  such  a  perfect  uuion  amoug  the  different 
corps  of  officers.  It  is  the  happiest  camp  I  ever  was  in.  Officers  &  soldiers 
put  the  greatest  confidence  in  the  General  imaginable.*  His  treatment  of  the 
officers  and  soldiers  is  quite  opposed  to  that  of  Scliuyler.  I  should  not  have 
wrote  to  you  before  I  had  something  of  more  importance  to  communicate,  had 
it  not  been  to  ask  the  favor  to  buy  some  brown  sugar." 


"  Saratoga,  Oct.  14,  1777. 

"  Since  I  wrote  the  above,  we  have  almost  been  in  one  continual  action  with 
the  enemy,  but  not  in  very  close  order,  since  the  7th  inst.  (for  the  particulars 
of  which  I  would  refer  you  to  Mr.  Lincolnf),  but  in  close  pursuit.  We  are  now 
all  round  them,  and  it  is  common  to  have  30,  40  or  50  deserters  &  prisoners 
come  in  for  several  days  past.  The  Canadians,  we  are  told  by  the  deserters, 
have  mutinied,  and  decline  having  anything  further  to  do  in  the  matter,  & 
was  promised  by  the  General  that  they  should  go  home  in  a  few  days.  They 
lost  Gen.  Frazer  in  the  action  of  the  7th,  an  officer  of  approved  merit,  who 
commanded  the  light  troops,  in  whom  they  put  the  greatest  confidence,  & 
give  it  as  one  reason  we  took  the  field,  their  early  loss  of  that  officer.  Upon 
the  wliole  I  hardly  can  realize  that  the  great  Burgoyne  is  reduced  to  such  a 
distressed  situation  as  you  may  depend  he  is  at  present.     How  the  scene  may 


*  Gen.  Horatio  Gates,    t  Abraham  Lincoln. 

19 


146  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

change  I  cannot  fully  determine ;  but  from  the  present  situation  of  things,  I 
expect  to  give  you  soon  a  further  good  account. 

'*  What  I  wrote  respecting  sugar,  the  other  day,  I  have  not  had  time  to 
think  of  since.  Would  only  inform  you  that  it  is  with  great  difficulty  we  can 
get  any  such.thing  here,  so  that  if  you  can  spare  me  a  few  pounds,  when  my 
baggage  is  brought  from  Worcester,  it  would  be  very  acceptable  in  this  place. 
Remember  my  love  to  Mrs.  Bigelow  &  children. 

''  Believe  me,  Sir,  to  be  with  much 

"  esteem  your  friend, 

"TIMO.   BIGELOW." 


